Hot Shot Ant Bait

Hot Shot MaxAttrax Ant Bait stations

Hot Shot MaxAttrax Ant Bait stations come in handy when ants appear in your home or office. I am surprised how well they work, because usually I use the ant baits provided by a pest control service. I recommend putting 2 per small room or problem area. The ants don't die immediately, but most die after about 2-4 days. You can see them start to get stomach aches and slow down, then they start to disappear. A few little scout ants might stick around, so leave the bait in place for a while. Try to leave all or most of the ants alone; don't kill a bunch of them or wipe away their "invisible" ant tracks, because they leave messages for each other. It also takes a while for them to walk into the bait and enjoy the "party." Once they discover the "feast," they invite their little friends. Once you've used the baits for a few days, if ants appear in another spot, you can move the baits as needed. The product is supposed to last 6 months, according to the packaging. If desired, you could put the stations in a zipper bag until needed again. 

Pros: Effective – eradicates within 2-4 days (at least in my experience), but for sure by a week they should be gone. Easy to use. No mess, gel or sprays to deal with. Most of the ants leave on their own so there's not much "cleanup." There is no odor. Inexpensive for a non-professional product that actually works.

Cons: Doesn't kill immediately, just like other baits. However, it's worth the short wait, as this (according to the packaging) kills the queen (at some point). The only way to kill immediately is to spray ants directly. 

A rare 5 stars.