How does baiting effectively control ant colonies?

Baiting effectively controls ant colonies primarily because it involves the use of a slow-acting insecticide that is ingested by the worker ants and then brought back to the colony. When the foraging worker ants consume the bait, they transport the active ingredient back to the nest. This method allows the insecticide to be shared with other ants, including the queen and brood, ultimately leading to the collapse of the entire colony.

This approach is beneficial for several reasons. First, it targets not just the foragers, but the entire colony, including reproductive and immature stages that may not come into contact with conventional fast-acting sprays. Additionally, the slow-acting nature of the bait means that ants can return to their nest before succumbing to the effects of the poison. This increases the probability of wider distribution of the active ingredient throughout the colony, making baiting a more thorough and strategic control method than others that may only kill individuals on contact without addressing the colony's reproductive members.