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Using
Poison Baits for Insects
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Low toxicity alternatives to insecticides
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Summary: Baiting
is a technique that uses an attractive food to
lure insect pests to an insecticide (poison).
Baiting tends to be more selective and less
environmentally disruptive than conventional
pesticide applications. Baits work best for the
so-called social
insects that live in colonies like ants,
wasps, cockroaches and termites.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist
(ret.)
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Using Poison Baits for insect control
Insect baits are made of some
type of attractive food product that has been
combined with either an insecticide or insect
growth regulator (IGR). IGRs don't kill outright
but rather disrupt insect or colony development
by preventing immature insects from completing
growth to the adult stage. Baits are generally
used in pest control situations where one is
trying to control a social insects,
those that live in a colony or nest such as ants, wasps, cockroaches,
and termites.
In a typical social insect colony
foraging insects collect food, or bait, and
bring it back to the colony. The insecticides or
IGRs then contaminate the colony as the food is
passed between colony members. In this way
colony development is disrupted over time.
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Household ants feeding
at liquid bait station. Photo by J.D.
DeAngelis
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Baiting is often seen as a low toxicity
alternative to conventional, synthetic
insecticides and is better accepted by many
homeowners. Baiting is far more selective
because it targets only the insects that
forage for the bait. Baiting often takes longer
to get control but the control is usually more
complete when compared to conventional
insecticides. Another advantage to baiting is that
it can be used in chemically sensitive areas where
conventional insecticides can not, or should not, be
used. Use the links below for additional, pest
specific, information. Many bait products that were
once only available to pest control professionals
are now available to homeowners for
do-it-yourself projects (use the search box at
DoMyOwn.com, our affiliate for specific pests).
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Insect control with bait
- Household ants -- (see Using
Ant Baits) for a variety of household
nuisance ants are very effective; baits contain
boric acid, sodium borate, conventional
insecticides or growth regulators.
- Carpenter ants -- (see Carpenter
Ant Baits); baiting should be combined with
conventional methods.
- Cockroaches -- (see Cockroach
Baits) are very effective when combined with
sanitation and "crack & crevice" treatments.
- Termites -- (see Termite
Baits) are effective for subterranean
termites (not drywood termites) but may
require professional set-up and monitoring.
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