Ants

Black ants are commonly found throughout the UK, and although they nest outdoors, they are often found inside. Ants range in size from 1mm to 52 mm and colours can vary; most are red or black.

black ants on the tablecloth

• Black/Garden Ants

Are very dark in colour, and are usually 4mm in length. During the summer, winged females and males are reared in underground nests. Occasionally they will swarm from the nest and mate, and on returning to the ground the males soon die. The females lay their eggs and spend the winter in hibernation. In favourable conditions the queen ant and her colony may survive for several years.

• Pharoah Ants

Are yellow-brown in colour, and only 1.5mm - 2mm in length. Unlike black ants, swarms of pharoah ants only mate inside their nest.  

Where do ants come from?

Ants may build nests on trees, though most are found in the ground, under stones or logs, inside logs, hollow stems or even acorns. You could find ants nests in dry earth around plant roots. The sand used in house foundations, garden paths and patios forms a good site for the queen ant to start a colony, as sandy soil in particular may attract colonies. Nests are increasingly being found inside the walls of properties (cavity walls, for example). Ants are social creatures, and live in colonies containing workers (infertile females), males, queens and grubs (larvae). Ants mate on the wing, so the "flying ants" are either males or immature queens. Once a colony develops it can be difficult to get rid of.

Why do ants come indoors?

The ants found indoors are usually worker ants, which are foraging for food for the queen and the grubs. They have found that buildings inhabited by humans are a good source of provision, particularly sweet or sugary items. Pharaoh ants are found where food is available. They will eat almost anything and can easily get in to unopened packages. Pharaoh ants trail each other and are attracted to greasy or fatty foods, meats, sugary foods, and other dead insects. Because of their eating habits, they can contaminate food by wandering over it.

Do ants just live on human food?

Worker ants are scavengers and collect seeds, nectar, and even dead insects to take back to the nest. They also prey on greenfly, blackfly and other small insects, even caterpillars, so cannot be considered to be all bad.

Do ants do any harm?

Although it is unpleasant and a nuisance to find a large number of them in your home, black ants do not transmit any serious diseases. However, you should remember as well that the ants may have travelled through unpleasant or dirty places during their foraging and before entering your home. This means that they can taint any food, making it unsuitable to eat.

How do I prevent an infestation?

• do not leave food uncovered if accessible to ants, but if they have contaminated food, dispose of in the dustbin (wrapped first to prevent it smelling in the warmer weather)
• do not feed wild birds or other animals to excess - the food will attract unwanted pests e.g. ants
• store food and household waste in sealed containers/bins

How do I get rid of them?

Some ant species are considered pests, and because of the adaptive nature of ant colonies, eliminating the entire colony is nearly impossible. Pest management is therefore a matter of controlling local populations, instead of eliminating an entire colony, and most attempts at control are temporary solutions.

The cheapest, but not necessarily most successful, way of dealing with an ants nest is to pour boiling water onto the nest. This will certainly control the problem, but may only be a temporary solution. Another way of eliminating ants nests is to buy a household insecticide which you should apply on and around the nest, together with possible entry points for the ants. Entry points would include doors, windows, cracks in walls, even waste pipes. Remember, for your own safety, to follow the manufacturers' instructions on the pack. This again may only be a short term answer, firstly because of the low dosages allowed in domestic insecticides. Secondly, there can be so many ants in one nest that it is difficult to eradicate the whole colony in one go, so the problem may recur.

Both the methods described above are worth a try, but if you still find you have an infestation we would recommend you seek professional help. Exeter City Council's Pest Control Officer will be able to locate the source of the problem and treat as necessary. All insecticides used are applied by the Pest Control Officer who will ensure the safety of the public and minimise damage to the environment.

Charges

Exeter City Council charge £60.00 for ant treatments. Payment can be made by the following, on completion of the treatment:

• cash or cheque (made payable to Exeter City Council)
• debit or credit card over the telephone
• Where an account is rendered a £17.00 administration fee will be incurred

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