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While bed bugs and disease-carrying pests may get more media attention, ants are the No. 1 nuisance pest in the United States. And while there are thousands of ant species, just a handful are pest species. The pest species vary around the country, so make sure you and your technicians know the main species in your area and their basic habits, and can readily identify them.
Most species nest outdoors, so treating them there before they get inside is the best strategy. In addition to your perimeter spray, apply a proactive perimeter treatment with a long-lasting granular bait in early spring, and repeat quarterly. In cold climates, you can skip the winter quarter.
If you are using a pyrethroid or botanical perimeter spray, apply the bait outside of the spray zone. While the spray provides the last line of defense before entering the structure, worker ants will pick up the bait and take it back to the next — killing colonies before they ever get inside the structure.
