Ants Are Entering My Home, How Can I Stop This? - 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 Are Entering My Home, How Can I Stop This?

In Ant Problems, DIY Pest Control, General, Pests, Pests in Spring, Pests in Summer

As the weather warms, are ants entering your home? It’s that time of the year again whereby ants become more prevalent in and around the home. With the colder winter months behind us, all manner of creatures awaken on the lookout for food and harbourage.

There are over three dozen species of ants in the UK, the most common species being the Black Garden Ant. Colonies can reach 15,000 workers, although most average around 5,000.

Ants have an extremely strong sense of smell and can pinpoint foodstuffs (mainly sweet substances and crumbs) from a great distance. Once ants find a food source of interest they release pheromones. This chemical alerts and directs the rest of the workers to the prize. Food is incredibly important for the Queen and grubs within their colonies, for it to grow.

Ants are excellent scavengers and will crawl through the smallest crack to gain entry. They are often found in great numbers in the soil of gardens, throughout flower beds, under patio slabs and in almost motorway straight lines across paving, brickwork and throughout the home.

While their large numbers can be of concern on your property compared to other pests, ants in the UK are harmless creatures. They do not carry disease.

 

 

Prevention

If ants keep finding foodstuffs, they will return in ever-increasing numbers. Notably, UK ant species are more active in the UK during the Spring and Summer months.

The most important task you can do to keep ants at bay is to keep your home clean, importantly in the kitchen, but also other areas of food consumption. This applies to pets also, not only humans. If you do not adequately clean up after food preparation and consumption, you run the risk of inviting an unwanted army of ants into your home who are on the hunt for sugary food and crumbs. Kitchen sprays will disrupt the scent trail of ants which are used to alert the colony to the food source. In addition to storing fruit in the fridge, using air-tight food containers is beneficial.

It is also important to check for and seal any cracks or entry points in brickwork or around doors. This will further help prevent ants from entering your home and prevent possible damage.

If you do encounter issues we ask that you do not disturb any ants nests, and do not clear any cupboards in advance of our arrival. This will help the technician can gather information to help pinpoint where the activity is coming from.

 

Treatment

Our fully qualified technician 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%. These insecticides are the most modern insecticide available.

Gel bait is also used for ants. Made by Lodi, Digrain Ant Gel contains Permethrin. Advion Ant Gel contains Indoxacarb. Bait is laid along the routes within and outside of the home.

In addition, a powder formulation can also be used, called Ficam D.

All insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non-tainting and do not corrode or stain.

A band of insecticide will be sprayed around windows, doors and walls to keep ants from entering your home. The ants then walk over the treated areas and return to the nest. After this, they will touch other ants and larvae with their contaminated bodies. Consequently, this will pass on enough insecticide to kill the nest(s). This may take up to 2 weeks. If treatment is carried out before April or in cold weather the activity may continue sporadically for up to 6 weeks. Immediate improvement is always noticeable but do not wash down or vacuum treated areas for at least 2 months. Washing and vacuuming will break down the insecticides. The baits work in a similar fashion but may take slightly longer to work.

 

 

Guarantee

Treatment is guaranteed (inside treated areas only) for one month and is only valid as long as instructions, advice on hygiene and other matters are adhered to. Insecticide treatments will only work on clean surfaces. PEST UK’s Terms and Conditions apply.

 

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. Are full office list can be found here.

PESTUK have offices in BracknellEdgwareOxford, Reading, SalisburySt AlbansStevenageSwindonThameWantageWare, and Watford. Our full office list can be found here.

For an updated price list for all of our services please click here.

NEXT/PREVIOUS:

Are you attracting pests to your home without realising? »
World Bee Day 20th May «