If you've ever sprayed the ant trail with surface spray, watched them disappear, and then found them back two days later — you're not alone. This experience is almost universal among homeowners who attempt DIY ant control.
The Problem With Surface Sprays
When you spray a trail of ants, you kill the workers — the ones collecting food. But those worker ants represent only about 10% of the colony. The queen, who can lay up to 1,500 eggs per day, is safely underground and completely unaffected by your spray.
Within days, new workers hatch and the trail reforms. You've done nothing to solve the actual problem.
Why Professional Gel Bait Works
Professional gel baits exploit the very thing that makes ants so hard to kill — their social behaviour. Worker ants are attracted to the bait and carry small amounts back to the colony to share with other workers, larvae, and eventually the queen. This process, called trophallaxis, results in the entire colony — including the queen — consuming the slow-acting bait and collapsing within 1–2 weeks.
The Perimeter Barrier
After colony elimination, a professional perimeter spray creates a residual barrier around your home that prevents new colonies from establishing for 3–6 months. Combined with sealing the entry points ants use, this provides lasting protection.
