How To Get Rid Of Ants
Ants are a common pest problem in homes and businesses. The purpose of the information below is to provide background information on the pest and practical advice on ways that you can make your environment less attractive to ants. Ultimately, the best way to get rid of an ant problem is to call a professional pest technician.
Ants In Australia
No one can live in Australia without having personal contact with ants. From the most isolated outback sand dunes to the busiest suburbs, ants are everywhere.
Australian ants are hardly shy. They happily live and nest around our houses and gardens. They often get into kitchens, bathrooms and laundries in search of food.
There are over 1200 species of ants in Australia and their colonies can be huge with tens of thousands of individuals.
Some of the species that cause problems in homes:
- White footed black house ant
- Coastal brown ant
- Minute house ant
- Pharaoh ant
- Sugar or carpenter ant
- Argentine ant
When Are Ants Most Active?
Ants tend to remain relatively dormant in winter and in colder conditions. They become more active during the warmer months from October to March.
What Causes Increased Ant Activity In And Around Homes?
Ants feed on sugar, syrup, honey, fruit juice, fats, and meat. Long trails of thousands of ants may lead from nests to these food sources.
Outdoors, ants are attracted to honeydew that soft scales, mealybugs, and aphids produce.
Do Different Types Of Ants Require Different Treatments?
There is not one standard method to treat all types of ant species.
To be effective, treatments have to be specific to the ant and infestation. In some species, only 5% of the colony’s ants are out foraging at any one time.
Ants often move nest sites when disturbed or with a change in food supply. This can make control and removal of ants difficult. They may leave for short periods only to return later when a new food source is located and they can very quickly re-colonise from nearby nests.
DIY products often claim to be able to deal with all ant problems. Although you may see a reduction in the numbers of ants, they generally will not be effective long term with usual sized infestations.
Ant infestations only grow larger over time if not properly treated.
If you have an ant problem in your home, it will save a lot of time, expense and hassle to have it checked and treated by a professional.
Why Have A Professional Ant Treatment?
- Reduces the risk of having a major infestation and will manage the ant problem over time
- A regular service/treatment will keep ant breeding to a minimum – you do not have to see ants to have a problem
- Commercial treatments are more effective as they target the specific ant species
- Professional technicians are trained in ant biology and breeding habits. They know what type of treatment suits the ant and the environment
How To Reduce The Impact Of Ants Around Your Home & Garden
- Regularly inspect your home for ants or ant entry points.
- Ants are attracted to food sources or moist areas. Look for large trails of ants or even just a few stragglers. Straggling ants are scouts randomly searching for food or nesting sites. When you spot ant trails, try to follow the ants to where they are entering the building. Look for holes or cracks in outside walls that provide entry points.
- Seal the cracks and crevices around windows and outside walls
- Thoroughly clean all surfaces and benchtops, particularly in the kitchen
- Do not leave out food or unwashed dishes overnight
- Tightly seal food containers
- Clean pet areas and remove leftover pet food
- Elevate plant pots
- Don’t stack objects against the house
