Optigard Gel

Optigard AB 100 is a next-generation ant bait gel featuring an advanced “delayed-action + horizontal transfer” technology. Instead of only killing worker ants on contact, the active ingredient Thiamethoxam is carried back to the colony by worker ants and shared throughout the colony (including queens and larvae), helping to eliminate the entire ant colony at its source. According to Syngenta, the product can eliminate 95–97% of worker ants within 2–3 days and destroy the entire colony within 7–14 days, while maintaining bait attractiveness for at least 14 days.

What pests does the product help control?

Syngenta states that Optigard AB 100 effectively controls more than 15 common ant species, including Argentine ants, carpenter ants, odorous house ants, ghost ants, big-headed ants, crazy ants, pavement ants, honey ants, and little black ants… and is not effective against fire ants due to differences in biology and feeding behavior.

Control approach by ant group (practical applications)

・Small household ant group (ghost / little black / odorous house / Argentine…):
Apply the gel along ant trails, wall edges, corners, near food/sweet sources, under sinks, behind equipment… to increase the likelihood of worker ants contacting and carrying the bait back to the colony.

・Carpenter ant group (commonly active around door frames, ceilings, wooden areas, and sheltered outdoor locations):
Prioritize gel placement at cracks, door frames, wall voids, wooden structures, and suspected nesting sites, as well as sheltered areas such as porches, tree bases, and foundation cracks (according to Syngenta application recommendations).

・Foundation/outdoor ant group (pavement / crazy / big-headed…):
Place the gel at floor gaps, wall-base cracks, and entry points, especially in sheltered foundation areas to create effective “bait points” along ant foraging routes.

Key advantages

・Complete colony elimination through horizontal transfer mechanism (affecting queens and larvae), not just worker ants

・Clear time-based performance (significant reduction of worker ants within 2–3 days; colony elimination within 7–14 days) with bait attractiveness lasting ≥14 days

・Transparent – odorless – non-staining gel, easy to apply without disruptive spraying; suitable for sensitive environments requiring high safety standards (Syngenta references HACCP suitability and low toxicity).