Looking for a Solution to Your Ant Pest Control Problems at Home?

As the summer begins, clothes moth levels finally begin to die down. However, don’t be fooled into thinking this means a respite from insect infestations – levels of bed bugs, fleas, cockroaches and house flies all increase significantly in sympathy. We have compressed as much as possible of our best ant pest control advice in this news article.

Ant Pest Control Avoidance & Management

The arrival of lovely warm spring weather sees the arrival of not so lovely worker ants foraging for food.

There are around 50 species of ant in the UK.

The 6 most common are:

• Lasius Flavus (Yellow Meadow Ant)
• Formica Rufa (Red Wood Ant)
• Formica Sanguinea
• Myrmica
• Tetramorium Caespitum
• Lasius Niger

Lasius Niger, more commonly known as Black Ants or Garden Ants, are the ant species that you are most likely to encounter in the UK, and the only ant species who regularly venture indoors.

Why & How You can Control Ant Populations?

Whilst Black Garden Ants are quite harmless and do not transmit disease, they can be a real pest.

When ants forage, they leave a pheromone scent trail which serves a dual purpose; to help them find their way back to the nest to feed the queen and larvae, and to lead other worker ants from the colony to the food source.

This can result in your home becoming quickly infested with hundreds of ants.

The ants we see, walking around our kitchens and gardens are worker ants, but the heart of the problem is the nest.

The nest of the common Black Garden Ant is usually located underground and houses the queen and larvae.

Queens of this species can live up to 30 years and can lay many thousands of eggs during their lifespan. That’s a lot of unwanted kitchen guests….

Here at Avon Pest Control we understand ant infestations can be a real nuisance, especially if you have a nest of stinging Red Wood Ants.

Garden ants kissing on black currant.

Ant Identification Made Simple

Different ant species favour different nesting areas, which can make it difficult to locate the nest itself.

Additionally, different species differ in average colony size which will determine the scale of your infestation.

With our expert knowledge, Avon Pest Control can help find and appropriately treat the problem depending on ant type.

How can I dispose of all unwanted Ants

Some do-it-yourself methods of ant eradication such as pouring boiling water on the nest can sometimes prove effective, but often does not solve the problem.

Water cools quickly on impact with soil, and whilst it may kill many worker ants, if it does not stay hot enough or penetrate deep enough to reach and kill the queen, she will go on to produce more workers.

Avon Pest Control recommend you contact a pest control company to ensure effective eradication by nest removal and expert pesticide treatment.

Ant Pest Control & Prevention is Better than Cure

Take preventative measures to reduce the chances of an ant infestation happening in your property.

• Block all potential entry points.
  • Seal up crevices and cracks around window and door frames with caulking and/or grout.
• Remove sweet temptation!
  • Ants tend to enter homes in search of food.
  • They are especially attracted by sweet, sugary food stuffs, e.g. biscuit/cake crumbs, and grains of sugar.
  • Be sure to wash dishes after each meal.
  • Wipe down kitchen surfaces.
  • Take rubbish out daily.
  • Sweep floors and clean up any spillages or cooking oil splatters immediately.
  • Also, regularly sweep/vacuum under dining room tables and breakfast bars.
• Wash pet food bowls.
  • Ants aren’t picky and will head for your pet’s food bowl too. Wash up any food bowls after feeding pets.
• Food storage options
  • Keep food in airtight zip bags or glass clip top jars with rubber seals, inside cupboards or refrigerators. R
  • Replace rubber seals when they begin to perish.
• Put a lid on it!
  • Bins with open lids attract ants.
  • Position bins away from your home with tightly sealed lids.
• Kick up a stink!
  • Ants do not like strong smells such as lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and essential oils, which deter ants and disrupt sent trails left for other ants to follow

If ants are causing a problem at your property, call Avon Pest Control for professional advice, information, and removal/treatment pricing.