Baits and contact insecticides both contain fire ant control chemicals, but they work in different ways. They should never be physically mixed together. Contact insecticides kill any ants that they come in contact with. Most are used as individual mound treatments to quickly eliminate colonies, or they are used as surface treatments. Baits are designed to be picked up by foraging fire ant workers that deliver the control chemical to the colony and ultimately to the queen(s). Baits are most cost effective when used as a broadcast treatment. See FAQ #821: "What is the Two-Step Method for controlling imported fire ants?" for more information on using both a bait and a contact insecticide.
FAQ #807
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Can we mix fire ant baits and contact insecticides?
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- What Are Imported Fire Ants?
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