When that dreadful line of ants starts marching across the kitchen counter like they own the place, what’s one of the first things homeowners do? Head to Google! 

After testing out common products they can use themselves, homeowners quickly start seeking professional help when they can’t hold back the invasion. But what’s the best way to decide on an exterminator? Top notch copy, high quality photographs, and friendly websites are all great, but stellar results and positive client reviews are one of the best things you can do to make your business stand out. So the next time you’re spraying for bugs, consider these insecticides to help you effectively control pests and get your business to the top of charts with excellent reviews. 

Indoxacarb 

Well known as a main active ingredient in Advion’s line of cockroach-fighting insecticides, indoxacarb is a great way to help yourself stand out from the competition against ants as well. As a relatively new insecticide developed by DuPont in 2000, indoxacarb utilizes a unique mode of action that includes some big advantages. 

After ants come into contact with indoxacarb and absorb or ingest the chemical, it blocks the flow of sodium ions into nerve cells. The results include paralysis, loss of appetite, impaired nerve function, and eventually leads to death. Additionally, indoxacarb used in bait form makes it an attractive option to insects and easy to pass onto other ants or cockroaches — but it doesn’t stop there. 

Research on indoxacarb from Purdue University has shown that this insecticide can kill up to 3 generations of cockroaches after use making it one of the best insecticides for ants, cockroaches, and other insects. That means you can kill pests and keep those great reviews without customers moving to a different pest control company after your efforts weren’t successful. 

Carbaryl 

If you’re handling outdoor pests, then carbaryl may be just the insecticide you’re looking for. It’s been around a lot longer than indoxacarb and was first introduced in the 1950s and is still used to this day for food crops and other agricultural needs. Carbaryl works as a reverse inhibitor of an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase, meaning it actively attacks an insect’s nervous system, leading to death. 

The benefit of carbaryl compared to other options is that the residue is easily detoxified by vertebrates and doesn’t remain active on food crops like chlorinated pesticides. That means you can eliminate ants and other pesticides without all the collateral damage, leaving customers happy. However, carbaryl can still be dangerous for some beneficial insects like honey bees. Just be sure not to use this insecticide in those areas of the outdoor garden that honey bees frequent (flowers, for example) and stick to other areas of the garden where damaging pests wreak havoc. 

Fipronil

Next up on the list is fipronil, another highly-effective ant-killing insecticide sure to set your business apart from the rest. Unlike other insecticides that kill on site, fipronil works in a much slower, but very effective manner. Once poisoned via ingestion or contact, this slow poison allows enough time for an ant to return to its colony and spread the poison to others.

Similar to how indoxacarb offers added benefits besides simply killing pests on site, fipronil is one of the best insecticides for your business by its ability to be easily spread. Don’t just take care of the immediate ant problem in the kitchen, use fipronil to help eliminate entire colonies invading customers’ homes. 

Demon WP

Next up on the list is a great option for a long-lasting pesticide that provides an extended barrier. Demon WP, manufactured by Syngenta, is a broad-spectrum insecticide that can be used for both indoor and outdoor pest control. Besides being effective against ants, Demon WP is excellent at handling spiders, flies, chiggers, fleas, mosquitoes, and many other pests. 

The benefit of Demon WP is that it provides a residual barrier when sprayed that can remain effective for up to 2-3 months after initial application. Demon WP is a residual insecticide that utilizes cypermethrin as the active ingredient. Cypermethrin attacks the nervous system of insects that come into contact with it and leads to their death. Demon WP is diluted in water and applied with a gallon pump sprayer and is effective at getting into difficult-to-reach areas of a home, both indoor and outdoor. 

Perhaps the largest benefit of Demon WP for your business is its ability to keep working for prolonged periods of time after application. Get a leg up on the competition with good reviews from customers boasting about not only did you kill the pests, but kept them away longer too.

Suspend SC

Rounding off the list is another sprayable insecticide similar to Demon WP (both in the synthetic pyrethroid class of insecticides) that’s sure to help with raving customer reviews. Suspend SC utilizes deltamethrin as its active ingredient which neutralizes a wide array of insects by poisoning pests’ central nervous systems. That means not only can you tackle ants, but you can keep away plenty of other pests in the process as well.  

Suitable for both outdoor and indoor use in cracks and crevices, Suspend SC is a “suspended concentrate” meaning it’s suspended in water and easily applied via spraying to multiple surfaces. Once sprayed, this insecticide stays present on surfaces for up to 3 months and continues delivering great results. Though Suspend SC and Demon WP are similar, Suspend SC was included as an alternative for specific cases. Generally, Demon WP will be able to last a bit longer on surfaces outdoors, but it will leave behind a white, powdery residue after being applied. While that may be fine in some cases, it is significantly more noticeable on darker surfaces. With that in mind, consider Suspend SC as an effective alternative that will leave customers not only happy with the pest control, but happy with the look as well. 

Best Insecticides for Ants — The Bottom Line 

Nowadays there are almost unlimited options available for pest control and ant extermination. Between the various insecticides available for consumer purchase and the competition from other pest control companies, it’s crucial to set your business apart from the rest. That means not only taking care of an ant problem, but leaving customers with a top-notch experience to drive more positive reviews online and increase your word-of-mouth marketing. So the next time you’re looking at insecticides to take on the hordes of ants in customers’ homes, make sure you have the right tools for the job.