Imidacloprid is an insecticide that belongs to the class of elements called neonicotinoids.

Monarchs are threatened by pesticides — including toxic neonicotinoids and herbicides, which are killing off the milkweed plants they need to survive — as well as urban development and climate change.

Firstly, no chemical (especially pesticides) should be used for a purpose for which it was not intended.

Secondly, imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid. These products remain in the environment for years and are toxic to wildlife. They are mobile in water, can contaminate ground water (through run off into soil, drains, puddles etc), and remain in the soil for YEARS! Research has shown that when used to treat the soil, it continued to be taken up by plants even during years when it was not applied. Even the microscopic levels taken up by the plants were lethal to bees.

To get rid of ants, I recommend you research organic methods on the internet. You could also try boiling water, depending on where the ants are. If the ants are getting into your house (i once had this problem), spray a dilution of bleach on the surfaces. This cured my ants problem almost completely within a day. You may get an occasional ant coming in, but if you keep spraying for a while, you'll soon get NO ANTS - I don't get any now.

Neonicotinoids are highly toxic, and I wouldn't even use them in the garden, personally.

Neonicotinoids include imidacloprid acetimacloprid, clothianidin, thiacloprid, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran and nitenpyram. I avoid all of these.

Botanicals, oils, soaps and synthetics are pesticides that kill aphids. The least toxic applications include horticultural oils; insecticidal soaps; jojoba, rosemary, thyme and wintergreen oils; and organic products such as abamentin, azadirachtin, capsicum, garlic, limonene, neem, oleic acid, oleoresin, peppermint oil, phenylethyl, propionate and pyrethrin. Anthranilic diamides, insect growth regulators, keto-enols, microbials and spinosyns number among the least toxic, but still bee- and fish-unfriendly, of the synthetics whose most toxic representatives tend to be neonicotinoids, organophosphates and pyrethroids.

Nicotine is an alkaloid chemical that is naturally present in nightshade plants such as tomato, potato, eggplant, and particularly tobacco. (It is in very low concentrations in the first three.) Nicotine dependance is quite strong making it very difficult for most users of tobacco products to quit. It has a long history as an insecticide. Some modern insecticides called neonicotinoids are derived from nicotine and have been is wide use for the last 5 plus years. Nicotine's use as a drug exposes the user to some dangerous health hazards such as cardiovascular damage, tumour promotion, inflammation, sleep abnormalities, ulcers, etc. Additionally, the delivery means, such as smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or vaping) also exposes the user to other chemicals that are harmful in their own right. For instance, the tar and carbon monoxide and many other noxious chemicals in cigarette smoke are quite harmful to the body leading to many well known health problems. About half of all smokers end up dying of smoking related health issues. Smells good like a cigarette should? To me it smells like death.