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Description
The ant is a social insect which lives in colonies or nests they construct. Ants are normal inhabitants of gardens and outdoor spaces, but can occur in dwellings in large numbers. Garden ants are 4mm in length and are dark brown.
Life Cycle
During the summer large numbers of winged females and males are reared in the nest or colony, which is usually underground. On a warm summer evening they swarm from the nest and take a brief flight during which they mate. On returning to the ground the males will die. The females shed their wings and crawl back into the colony where they spend the winter in hibernation before starting a new colony the following spring. In favourable conditions the queen ant and her colony may survive for several years.
Food
Ants are attracted to sweet foods such as syrups, jams, preserves and sugars. They can be seen making a trail to and from their nest entrance and the food source to transport the food into the colony and nourish the workers and queen inside.
Significance
There is no real public health significance from garden ants they are merely a nuisance. No one likes the thought of eating food upon which insects have crawled, so when they are found indoors in large numbers they become a nuisance pest.
Control Measures
If ants are a nuisance, locate the nest or colony by following the trail then treat the nest with an insecticidal dust, spray or a gel (available from DIY and garden centres) which the ants carry into the colony. (Note: Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions carefully.) Usual entrance points to a colony include holes in walls (possibly around drainage and waste pipes), through air bricks, beneath poorly finished work surfaces, kitchen units, baths and wash basins.
Unless the nest can be uncovered any treatment of foraging ants will be largely ineffective and it may be impossible to destroy the nest completely and effectively eradicate the infestation.
If you would like to take advantage of the pest control service provided by Elmbridge Borough Council (Note: |a charge is made for this service) either:
| Related Pages: |
| Ant control |Ant Advice Leaflet (Documents) |
| |Ants (Pests) (A - Z ) |