Ants                                                     

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Ants can be a serious nuisance in homes, hospitality outlets and businesses. Their social organisation, diversity and adaptability have made them a priority for pest control specialists and homeowners alike.

Damages caused / challenges      

A serious nuisance

The vast majority of ants live outdoors and perform a range of usual functions but problematic species attracted to human and pet foods with high sugar and protein contents typically cause pest problems.

When ants begin to infest homes and attack people in gardens and parks, they fall into the category of a nuisance pest. Some species can also be a public health problem and can short circuit electrical components enough to cause fires.

Highly successful insects

Ants owe much of their success to their advanced social structure. Clear divisions of labour between workers – scouts, foragers, larvae feeders and sentries, as well as between workers, queens and drones (reproductive males) make for highly efficient colony establishment, development and survival.

Their success in communicating leads to the well-travelled ant trails between nest sites and their various food sources that characterise most infestations. Trails become more persistent and difficult to disrupt with increasing use.