Please see our recommendations on how to treat for fire ants by clicking on the link below. You do have a few options depending on where the mound is located, size and preferred method:
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/how-to-get-rid-of-fire-ants-a-470.html
The date on your tubes of Advion Roach Bait Gel is not an expiration date as professional insecticides and their shelf life is entirely dependent on how you stored it. The REL is referring to the release date, or the time in which that batch was packaged so they know if any problems occur when it was made and how many tubes were distributed. The shelf life of unopened tubes when stored in temperature stable environments is normally 5 years. The active ingredient within the product is not what usually goes bad, its the food based ingredients that make up the majority of the product to attract the insects. Just like any food, over time it will start to become stale and less attractive to the insects to eat. While we cant say for certain that it will still be attractive after the 5 years, you are welcome to still put it down for the insects to go to as a food source and may continue to see control.
Indoor applications of Advion Ant Bait Gel can include cracks and crevices; along walls or floors, in and around furniture and cabinetry, behind or under appliances, around sinks, within or near garbage collection areas, attics and crawl spaces. Inspect applications periodically for consumption/activity and apply additional bait as needed. Do not apply to surfaces that food contacts or to areas that are routinely washed, such as food preparation surfaces. Do not apply Advion Ant Bait Gel to surfaces where the temperature exceeds 120-130 degrees F because this could cause the bait to liquefy and lose effectiveness. Placements of bait should be small pea sized placements 6-12 inches apart in previously listed areas. Please follow the product label for safety concerns. There is also a helpful baiting video on the product page if you scroll down into the text.
Advion is not organic and would not want to be used in an organic setting. You would want to contact your Agricultural dept for further recommendations.
Advion Ant Bait Gel can be used outside, but will not stand up very well to outdoor elements. You may want to consider applying Termidor SC around the outside of the foundation for ant control. See our Ant Pest Guide for more information about treating ants in and around your home.
The Advion Roach Bait Gel and the Advion Ant Bait Gel both have the same active ingredient but the inert ingredients are different and are designed to attract either roaches or ants only. They would not be interchangeable for either pest.
Although the active ingredients of the Advion Roach Bait Gel and the Advion Ant Bait Gel are the same, with a slight difference in percentage, the inert ingredients might be different to bait the pest in question specifically. If you haven't used it, you can return it and get the right product instead.
Advion Ant Bait Gel is only labeled to be used for ants and would not be recommended for termites. We have many other products that would be more recommended for termites and they can be found here.
Ants generally look for either a sugar or a protein food source. Advion Ant Bait Gel is a sugar. We always recommend using something like Advance 375A Select Granular Bait in conjunction with the sugar bait. This will take care of both of their food sources. Please check out our Ant Guide as well for tips on how to prevent and treat for ants.
There could be a couple of different reasons why the Advion Ant bait may not seem like its working for you. If they are going to it a little but you are still seeing activity of ants, it is likely because the product has not been down long enough for an entire colony to be eliminated. It can take at least a month if not longer for you to see an ant colony diminish or be gone from your home completely. If you aren't sure where the ants are coming from there could be multiple colonies or satellite colonies that are utilizing items in your home including the bait as a food source to sustain themselves which will take longer for the whole population of ants to be eliminated.
Another possibility is if you are only using a bait gel (which is a sugar based bait) and the ants are looking for a protein right now (which is normally a granular bait like Advance 375A) then they will pass by that gel all day long if that is not the nutrient they need. Now their nutritional needs for the colony to grow can change on a day to day or week to week basis. This is why we normally recommend putting down both a sugar and a protein bait at the same time to accomodate any needs the ants have and want. We go over this and other recommendations and tips in our Ant Control Guide.
If for any reason the ants dont go to a gel or a granular bait then you would need to get the type of ant you have ID'd. There are certain types of ants that do not readily accept baits because they make their own food. We recommend that you get the small ants identified to see if this may be your problem. You can contact an entomologist through your local cooperative extension office to get an insect identification. If you do have a species of ant that doesn't accept bait you can always use a product such as Termidor SC. Termidor SC is a non-repellent product that is picked up on the fine hairs of an ants body and then inadvertently spread through the ant colony by normal social interaction. Most people notice that the entire ant infestation is gone in 1-3 weeks. The only downside to Termidor SC is that it is an outdoor only product. If you need to treat indoors you can use Phantom. Phantom is a lot like the Termidor but it does take a little bit longer to see results and it can be used indoors.
The information you have described is the manufacturing date that the Advion Ant Bait Gel was made. When stored at room temperature the average shelf life of an insecticide bait is 3 years unopened and up to 1 year once opened for use.
It is normal to see dead or dying ants during the ant baiting process with Advion Ant Bait Gel. Ants will have to succumb at some point after eating the bait and they are often "kicked out" of the colony after they start acting sick, thus you will see sick or dead ants. It is also normal to see live ants removing dead ants for this reason as well. Usually the ants have already returned and spread the bait to the colony at this point and the work has been done. In time the bait will eliminate the entire colony including the queen, just keep putting the bait out as long as you are seeing activity.
Depending on what type of ants you are dealing with, and if you are able to see where the ants are trailing inside, it may be possible to treat with an ant bait gel such as Advion. The bait is very attractive to ants and offers a delayed reaction which allows the ants to get back to their colony where they will spread it. Another option would be to use a spray such as Phantom II, which has a transfer effect, allowing insects to pick up the product and spread it to one another through contact. All of these products are pet safe if used as directed.
Advion Ant Bait Gel would pose no harm when applied as directed and does not release dangerous fumes. It is applied to cracks and crevices for ant control that would be inaccessible to pets. We have a guide here for treating Ants that might be helpful.
Yes, we would recommend using Advion Gel Bait in areas where roaches tend to congregate or hide. Advion should be applied to areas frequented by cockroaches, such as around doors and windows, behind and under appliances, cabinets, drawers, sinks and openings where the plumbing pipes are. For best results, Advion should be used in conjunction with Insect Growth Regulators, such as Gentrol Point Source Stations, for even more complete control of all life stages of cockroaches. For light to moderate infestations of cockroaches, apply 1-3 spots of Advion cockroach gel bait per 10 linear feet. Each spot of Advion gel bait should equal about 0.5 grams (approx. 1/4” diameter).
REL on Advion Ant Bait Gel means the day it was made.
