The white-footed ant is an extremely difficult pest to control due to the large size of its colonies, but control can be achieved. Baits are effective for many sweet-feeding ant species. No surface or residual treatments with liquid insecticides have yet been found to be effective for controlling these ants. Management has only been accomplished by treating infested homes exclusively with baits containing borates. It is critical that all populations of white-footed ants on the property being treated are identified so that baits can be made available to each population. Since liquid baits tend to slowly dry out, it is important that fresh baits are always available until the target population has been controlled. Although bait toxicants may not be orally transferred between workers, they can still kill enough workers to cause death of brood by starvation. In addition, it is also thought that very slow acting bait toxicants may, with time, end up in the trophic eggs. Residual and systemic sprays to vegetation surrounding structures can also help by eliminating honeydew-producing insects.
Infestations can frequently be treated by placing liquid baits along trails on the exterior of a property.
A key aspect of white-footed ants control involves trimming trees and shrubs surrounding the structure to stop ants from ‘bridging’ (trailing from the vegetation onto the structure). The best policy is to not have any vegetation touching exterior walls. Placing liquid baits at the base of these trees or along branches can also be helpful. Ant trails coming from neighbouring properties via adjoining vegetation, fences, or across lawns, must also be treated.