Boric acid is a common ingredient in many pest control formulations and is an effective stomach poison for ants. It is nonstaining and odorless, and it is usually added to a food attractant or bait.Continue Reading
When ants walk through powdered boric acid, it clings to their legs, and the ant ingests it during grooming. When used in bait food, dry boric acid powder works by adhering to the exoskeleton of the insect and interfering with its metabolism, although the mechanism isn't fully understood. The resulting death of the insect is from desiccation.