Having problems with garden ants?

The good news is that gardens ants are not 'Public Health' pests.

Having problems with garden ants?

The good news is that garden ants are not 'Public Health' pests.

The bad news is that they are a real nuisance and very difficult to get rid of.

Although the Council does not carry out treatments for garden ants, here is some information which may be of help:

1. Garden ants, also known as black ants (Lasius Niger), are about 3.4 to 5 mm long.
2. They usually nest outdoors, in lawns, under slabs and in flower beds.
3. Although they live outdoors, they can find their way into homes in large numbers through small gaps in brickwork, at windows and doors in their search for food.
4. They search for sweet foods so your first control measure must be to ensure that you are not accidentally encouraging them - even a small spill of a soft drink would be a feast to a horde of ants.
5. Ants are social insects and live in a nest.
6. There is a queen which lays all the eggs. In late spring these hatch into larvae ( the 'caterpillar stage). The queen rears them and, after 3 weeks, the larvae pupate become worker ants.
7. It is these worker ants which go looking for food and look after the next generation.

Treatment:

You can carry out treatment against ants yourself but you have to be thorough.

• Apply a residual insecticide for crawling insects. These are the descriptions which you will see on the products package.
• You will be able to buy these at many DIY supermarkets and garden centers.
• Apply it to the entrance to the nest and wherever ants can enter your home.
• Inside your house you should apply the insecticide behind the sink unit, skirting boards, around doors and window frames.
• Also apply it where any waste pipes or other services enter the building and make sure insecticide gets into any small cracks and crevices.
• You are trying to create a band of insecticide which ants must cross to get into your home.

To ensure you get rid of the problem you will need to find their nest. Follow any ant trails and look for small entrance holes in the ground surrounded by small piles of fine earth. Once you have found the nest follow the instructions that come with the pesticide about dealing with ants' nests.

Please read the label and follow the instructions on the pesticide you chose.

Unfortunately the Council cannot help you with lifting slabs etc.

If you wish, you may get a private pest control company to assist you. As a guideline we would recommend that your contractor is a member of the trade body B.P.C.A. You will see this in any advertising material or in the company's entry in any business directory publication.