Final answer:
Attempting to control Pharaoh ants with liquid insecticide can lead to colony fragmentation, creating new colonies and making eradication more challenging. Ecologically based control measures and integrated pest management strategies are more sustainable and effective in the long run.
Step-by-step explanation:
When controlling Pharaoh ants with liquid insecticide, the colony may fragment, increasing the number of sub-colonies and making control more difficult. This is known as 'budding' or 'satelliting' in ant colonies. When workers are sprayed with insecticide, the colony can detect the threat and react by splitting into smaller groups that establish new colonies elsewhere. Therefore, liquid insecticides are not always effective for long-term control of Pharaoh ants and could exacerbate the problem.
Ecologically based control measures are often preferred, as they are less disruptive to the environment and sustainable in the long run. Natural predators, parasites, and intelligent management strategies are key components in controlling pest populations. Chemicals such as pesticides and insecticides are costly, may lose effectiveness, and can harm non-target species, including humans.
Overall, integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that include biological control techniques and environment-friendly methods are usually more effective at maintaining pest populations at low levels without the repercussions associated with chemical control alone.