Trusted Name, Tested Formulation

© Henrik_L | iStockphoto

The customer calls roll in fast in late spring and early summer—complaints that those ants are at it again. Pest management professionals (PMPs) who deal with large-colony ant species like Argentine and tawny crazy ants know just how fast these mega families multiply.

“We call them super colonies because they take up acres of land, and they don’t fight—it’s one big colony where the ants are not aggressive toward each other,” says Daniel Suiter, an entomologist at the University of Georgia, who has been testing Advion® WDG insecticide from Syngenta on these large colonies.

“Most ants that come from the same species (but different colonies) fight, and that limits their foraging range,” he explains. “But super colonies have multiple queens with hundreds of thousands of workers that can dominate a large area.”

So, Suiter and his team tank-mixed Advion WDG with Demon® Max insecticide. They applied the product to sites where large-colony ant invasions are a perennial problem—and they made the first test application in May, in hopes of heading off infestations and improving service. A second application was scheduled for late July, when these ants are notoriously high-pressure.

“Six weeks after the early-season treatment, the [Advion WDG] control was still performing really well,” Suiter reports, adding that this efficacy is especially notable. Managing large-colony ant species is a real challenge.

Additionally, Advion WDG is versatile because it is labeled for control of an expansive range of pests, from cockroaches and termites to pantry pests and ants. All told, there are 40 different pests listed on the label. “PMPs gain a lot of flexibility with this product,” Suiter says of the non-repellent, non-pyrethroid and non-neonicotinoid formulation.

Versatile, Low-Toxicity Control

PMPs can give customers peace of mind with Advion WDG because of where and how the formula works. The sprayable product can be used in high-volume, low-concentration applications in areas where a PMP might use an Advion gel bait, but needs more widespread control, particularly for managing large-colony ants.

The active ingredient indoxacarb works by blocking insect neuron sodium channels. The formula’s MetaActive^TM effect differentiates between pests and non-target organisms, which makes it well suited for treating inside and outside homes and commercial sites, in commercial kitchens and food-handling facilities, and up to 10 feet out from a structure. “Indoxacarb requires metabolic activation by the insect before it can block the sodium channel,” explains Chris Keefer, technical services manager for Professional Pest Management at Syngenta, North America.

“Indoxacarb has low toxicity to mammals because we have different enzymes in our bodies than insects,” Keefer says, relating that PMPs can assure customers that by incorporating Advion WDG into a program, they can control pests with a solution that is targeted and effective. “The active ingredient was registered under the EPA’s Reduced Risk Program^*,” he adds.

Keefer explains how the high-volume, low-concentration Advion WDG applications can help manage complex, widespread ant colonies. “You want to attack these ants in early spring when they have their brood up in the upper echelon of the soil profile, and by using a higher volume, you are encouraging the product’s active ingredient to push into the soil profile to attack the insects before they become a problem,” he says.

Suiter adds that the gradual action of Advion WDG allows ants to spread the product to nestmates, enhancing efficacy. “It gives the ants time to move it around,” he says.

The convenient sprayable formulation makes treating roughly four dozen other pests efficient and effective. Plus, PMPs say that customers recognize the Advion product name.

“Our Advion cockroach baits are number one in the market, and people know that,” Keefer says. “Everyone knows the brand name and they associate it with great control. Now, we have introduced a sprayable Advion to the market, and that is an advantage to PMPs and their customers.”

Photo courtesy of Syngenta

A Turnkey, Tested Solution

“There’s only so much room on a pest control technician’s truck,” Keefer says matter-of-factly. The versatility of Advion WDG and its impact on a broad range of pests allows PMPs to consolidate their inventory. “With a product like Advion WDG, you can use it on residential and commercial sites, commercial kitchens and food-handling areas.”

PMPs can even make room for other products like termiticides or rodenticides on the truck, which can expand business opportunities. “It gives them the ability to carry other products they might not have had the capacity for before,” Keefer says.

Tank-mixing Advion WDG with Demon Max or Optigard® Flex liquid insecticide can enhance efficacy. This has been proven in field testing, Suiter points out, referring to the Advion WDG-Demon Max mixtures applied to control large-colony ants on problem sites.

Advion WDG has a product label with concise, easy-to-read information that is formatted so it’s simple for PMPs to follow, Keefer says. “The fact that PMPs can use Advion WDG indoors and outdoors is a big advantage compared to some other insecticides.”

In fact, PMPs visiting a commercial kitchen or food-handling facility can make crack-and-crevice applications of Advion WDG while the operations are open—yet another advantage for PMPs and clients who are struggling to run a business uninterrupted by pests.

Advion WDG is just one result of research and development efforts at Syngenta, which invests billions annually in product development. “I encourage PMPs to support large manufacturers that are reinvesting in PMPs’ futures, because with more regulations coming down the road and more active ingredients being phased out, it’s important for us to continue searching through our catalogue of molecules and investing in new products to bring to the market,” Keefer says. “Being a steward of the industry is critical.”

To learn more about Advion WDG, visit SyngentaPMP.com/AdvionWDG.

*A reduced risk pesticide use is defined as one which may reasonably be expected to accomplish one or more of the following; (1) reduces pesticide risks to human health; (2) reduces pesticide risks to non-target organisms; (3) reduces the potential for contamination of valued, environmental resources, or (4) broadens adoption of IPM or makes it more effective. Advion WDG qualifies under one or more of the above criteria.

©2019 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. Advion^®, Demon^®, For Life Uninterrupted^™, MetaActive^™, Optigard^® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Syngenta Customer Center: 1-866-SYNGENT(A) (796-4368).