Syngenta TRTD11568 Optigard Pest Targeting Ant Bait Gel
Last updated date: May 4, 2022
DWYM Score
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We looked at the top Ant Baits and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Ant Bait you should buy.
Update as February 1, 2023:
Checkout The Best Ant Bait for a detailed review of all the top ant baits.
Overall Take
In our analysis of 9 expert reviews, the Syngenta Optigard Pest Targeting Ant Bait Gel placed 11th when we looked at the top 12 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.
Expert Reviews
Expert Summarized Score
User Summarized Score
What experts liked
What experts didn't like
Overall Product Rankings
1. Combat Child Resistant Fast Acting Ant Bait
2. Bayer Maxforce Quantum Indoor & Outdoor Ant Bait
3. TERRO T300B Fast Acting Liquid Ant Bait Stations
4. Extinguish Plus 2-Way Commercial Ant Bait
5. Advance Weather Resistant Easy Apply Ant Bait
6. Raid Max Child Resistant Ant Killer Bait
7. Amdro 100099216 Long-Lasting Granule Ant Bait, 24-Ounce
8. Terro 1806 Pre-Filled Outdoor Liquid Ant Baits
9. Home Plus Colony Killing Ant Bait Stations
10. Bayer 10072 Max Force Fleet Commercial Ant Gel Bait
11. Syngenta TRTD11568 Optigard Pest Targeting Ant Bait Gel
12. Hot Shot HG-2048 MaxAttrax Child-Resistant Ant Bait
An Overview On Ant Baits
It’s easy to admire the dogged work ethic of the humble ant — as long as you’re doing it from a distance. It’s a different story when they’ve caught the scent of food inside your house and are swarming in through every crevice to get it.
Against this kind of infestation, bug sprays may offer some temporary satisfaction, but they’re not much help at all when it comes to getting rid of the colony once and for all. If you’ve got a little bit of patience, that’s exactly what the right ant bait trap can do.
Ant baits use a variety of different active ingredients and delivery methods, but they all work roughly the same way. Instead of killing ants on contact, they are actually meant to attract ants. Once they’ve done so, the ants eat some bait and bring the rest back to the colony. There the slow-acting poison starts to take effect, killing the workers and queen, and/or rendering her infertile. If you see more ants a day or so after placing your baits, don’t remove them. That means the traps are doing their job, and you should see the numbers begin to decline in a few days.
Most indoor ant baits are sold in plastic traps, similar to the “roach motels” that work on the same principle. They are meant to be placed in areas where ants are liable to go looking for food. In some cases, you may need to apply the actual bait to the trap yourself before setting in down. That bait can take several forms, and in most cases you don’t need to put it into a trap for it to be effective.
Gel bait can be applied to precise locations such as cracks in the wall or along baseboards. Liquid bait can be spread along a wide surface — as long as it’s not one where your pets are liable to come sniffing for food. Powder bait can actually be spritzed into the walls through the tiny crevices that ant might use as entryways. Finally, granular bait is ideally suited for outdoor use, since it is usually waterproof and won’t harm larger mammals or plants.
In some cases, the active ingredient — the poison — makes up a small percentage of the actual product. The rest is the actual bait; the material that is meant to attract the ants. That active ingredient might vary widely between brands, but common compounds are bifenthrin, pyrethrin, cypermethrin or borate (more commonly known as the all-purpose cleaner Borax). The slower these substances work, the better: Remember that you want the ants to carry the bait back to the colony before they start feeling the effects.
The Ant Bait Buying Guide
A word on safety for your pets and children. Although many brands may advertise their ant baits as “child-resistant,” that doesn’t mean they’re totally safe for kids to eat or even touch. All it means is that the traps are designed to keep little fingers and paws from touching the active ingredient. But as we all know, kids can be persistent — so place your baits in out-of-the-way areas to be extra safe.
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