Ants in the House - PEST UK

Providing pest control services in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Midlands, West Sussex, Wiltshire. Est. 1985.

Ants in the House

In Ant Problems

Ants

Ants in the house is a problem all of us have likely encountered one time or another. The most often seen species of Ant is the Black Garden Ant. Ants seen foraging in homes will be the workers seeking sweet items to take back to feed to the Queen and the larvae in the nest colony. These colonies can range in size from a few dozen to a million in large wide spreading nests. Ants have spread to most areas on Earth and are well known for their social structure.

 

Ants in the home

Ants will enter homes foraging for food, particularly sweet items.

Biology and behaviour

Ants are part of the Hymoneptra order, which includes bees and wasps. Ant bodies follow the same build of head, body and thorax. They communicate with a combination of pheromones, smell and touch.

Flying ants are the reproductive males and females and will be seen in mating dances in July and August for a few days. The female will then seek a nest site where she will lay eggs in the spring to hatch and start a new colony. The nest building can be subterranean, under stones or logs and uses plant matter and soil.

Treatment of Ants

Ants in the house can be a nuisance in sufficient numbers, for this reason we can treat them. We will treat the infested and surrounding areas with one (or all) of the following insecticide sprays: Effect Microtech CS’ which contains Permethrin, HSE Number 6287 and made by Sorex, Ficam W which contains the insecticide Bendiocarb or K-Othrine WG250, HSE Number 5390 which contains deltamethrin 25%.

The technician may instead, or in combination, use baits. These will be either Digrain Ant Gel & is made my Lodi & contains Permethrin or Advion Ant Gel which contains Indoxacarb. These insecticides are the most modern insecticides available. Ficam may also be used in a powder formulation called Ficam D. All insecticides we use are biodegradable, almost odourless, non tainting and they do not corrode or stain.

 

After treatment

The inside and outside areas would have been treated as the nests are usually outside but the insects may swarm or forage for food inside. A band of insecticide would be sprayed around windows, doors and walls to keep them from entering. The ants will walk over the treated areas and return to the nest touching other ants and larvae with their contaminated bodies which passes on enough insecticide to kill the nest or nests. This can take up to 2 weeks dependant on weather the activity may continue sporadically for up to 6 weeks. Immediate improvement is always noticeable but we ask that you do not wash down or vacuum treated areas for at least 2 months. Washing & vacuuming will break down the insecticides. The baits will work in a similar fashion but may take slightly longer to work.

PESTUK

PESTUK are full members of the BPCA, the governing body for pest control in the UK. Using a BPCA member company ensures you have a qualified, fully insured company treating your pest problem.

Call PESTUK on 0330 100 2811 to book an appointment or email us at- services@pestuk.com

PESTUK have offices across the south of England, including BalhamOxfordGuildfordEnfield, Potters Bar, Reading, Shepperton, Wantage,  SalisburySt Albans, Stevenage and Ware.

 

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