Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
The two most common types of ant in the UK are the Garden Ant (Lasius niger) and The Pharaoh Ant (Monomorium pharaonis) although in recent years other species of ants such as the Brown Ant (Lasius brunneus) and the Carpenter Ant (Camponotus spp) have become more prevalent inside properties.
Garden Ants form colonies around a single queen. On average these colonies consist of between 4,000 and 6,000 workers but in some cases can be as large as 15,000. Garden ants generally build their nests underground.
Pharaoh Ants are more likely to be found inside buildings, particularly in kitchens and warm areas. Their colonies average around 4,000 – 4,500 workers. Pharaoh Ants are about a third of the size of a garden ant and are pale orange-brown in colour.
Problems Caused by Ants
During summer months Garden Ants begin to explore their surrounding area in search of food and this can result in them entering the home, in these cases they are often found in the kitchen or other places where they are most likely to find food. During mating season (July – September) Garden Ants develop wings (commonly referred to as Flying Ants) and gather in swarms of thousands around the nest. Pharaoh Ant Colonies have multiple queens and split off to form smaller migrating colonies (parts of the colony split off and form smaller nests) this causes are a particular problem inside buildings because of their wide distribution. This migrating behaviour poses a risk of cross contamination because they can spread from toilets and other unsanitary areas to kitchens and food preparation areas. Wood Ants and Carpenter Ants can unfortunately have more significant effects on properties as they have the capacity to cause structural damage to properties, this is made worse by the fact that a queen can live for up to 14 years, meaning that these species.How Do We Treat them?
Ant treatment varies according to the species we are dealing with, in most cases insecticide gel bait is used, although the type of bait we use is often defined by which is most effective for a specific species of ant. In the case of Garden Ants a gel bait treatment is undertaken inside in conjunction with an insecticide barrier spray around the perimeter of the property. In the case of Pharaoh Ants our primary treatment is a sterilisation bait that prevents the ants’ capacity to breed, combined with an insecticide gel bait. If you believe you have Pharaoh ants in your property, it is important not to try to treat them yourself – common insecticides such as ant powder or insecticide spray will in most cases make the problem worse. Treatment of Brown ant and Carpenter ant can often be a more complex process which focuses on trying to locate and remove the nest.