5 effective ways to get rid of invading ants

Ants prefer a sunny climate, which is why South Africa is in no short supply of ants. 

To prevent ants from marching through your home, always clean up food spills immediately.

While an ant infestation in your kitchen or bathroom may be annoying, the two most common South African ant species, the garden or black ant (Lasius niger) and the pharoah’s ant (Monomorium pharaonis) are not thought to carry disease.   

Mario Pluke, the National Technical Manager for Rentokil Pest Control, says however, considering that these ants frequently travel through unsanitary areas before they end up on your countertops, you might want to consider taking steps to get rid of them. 

They cause a nuisance as they travel widely in search of food, following trails and clustering around sources of food. 

Mario shares some tips… 

Facts about ants 

1. Garden ants nest outdoors in walls and under paving. They forage widely for food and water and often enter domestic premises. Control is only required where they have become a serious nuisance indoors. Garden ants have only one queen per nest. 

2. Pharoah’s ants require warm, humid conditions, so in many areas they are confined to buildings. In warm climates, infestations can be found outside. Infestations can also be found in a wide variety of locations including apartment blocks, hotels, hospitals and food handling premises. 

Open food containers attract ants into the building and should therefore be sealed and put away as soon as possible.

3. Pharoah’s ants have many queens per nest, and infestations spread through swarming. Swarming happens when nests are disturbed, for example, as a result of insecticide spray treatments. 

4. Ants are attracted to sugar and many other types of food and water as they need proteins and carbohydrates in their diets. 

5. Garden ants are attracted to sweet foods and leave a pheromone trail back to their nests for other ants to follow to the food source, which is why they can be a real nuisance in the home. 

6. Pharoah’s ants are attracted to high protein foods such as meat, fats, blood and dead insects. 

7. Because ants live in colonies, control can be quite difficult. There may be thousands of ants in a colony.  

Application of residual sprays may only affect 10% of the ants that are visible on the outside of the colony. Ant baits are therefore the preferred way of treating an ant problem as the baits are taken to the nest and help to control the whole colony.

Clear away your pets' food immediately after they have finished eating.

5 hints to prevent ants this summer 

1. All cracks and gaps in exterior walls which provide access to voids or interior areas should be sealed, and any cracks in slabs and gaps in expansion joints should be filled. 

2. Food spillages should always be cleaned up immediately. 

3. Open food containers attract ants into the building and should therefore be sealed and put away as soon as possible. 

4. Make sure all rubbish bins have tightly sealed lids. 

5. Clear away your pets' food immediately after they have finished eating. 

Mario Pluke, the National Technical Manager for Rentokil Pest Control, says preventing an ant problem all starts with simple hygiene. He says storing food in sealed containers and wiping down surfaces will go a long way in keeping your home or business ant free. 

A range of DIY products are available for use indoors and outdoors, in the form of sprays and powders, and nests can be treated with a killer gel which the ants themselves then help spread within their nest.

If caught early, he says ant issues can be dealt with quickly and easily. A range of DIY products are available for use indoors and outdoors, in the form of sprays and powders, and nests can be treated with a killer gel which the ants themselves then help spread within their nest.  

However, he says immovable infestations may require professional attention to effectively and finally deal with the problem, particularly if the ants have found their way into wall voids or under floor tiles.