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Requesting fumigation for ants is one of the most common reasons for which people contact pest control specialists. Generally these ants are not a health hazard, even though they are found to bite, on the same level as other pests such as mice and rats which are capable of spreading nasty diseases and bacteria. However they do tend to be a great nuisance and no one likes seeing thousands and thousands of ants roaming their gardens, barbecue areas and homes.
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Research shows that of the different ant species found to infest the Sydney area the most common are the coastal brown ants, black ants, white-footed house ants and carpenter ants (not to be mistaken for termites!). All of these species are found to live in colonies housed in permanent nests which are always situated in well-hidden areas and the function of the worker ant is to travel outside and acquire food which is then taken back to the nest to feed the colony.
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Removing Ant Infestations
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To get rid of an entire ant infestation permanently it is essential to wipe out the whole colony in one blow. Fumigation for ants through the spraying of their nests with effective insecticides may be effective, but it is very common for nests to be hidden within your roof and floor, or other cavities that are very hard to reach. Remedies such as borax will definitely kill the worker ants that are found around the house and garden but won’t provide a permanent solution because the queen ant will just keep laying eggs and propagating the growth of the colony. It is essential that the queen ant be killed to destroy the whole colony, which is easier said than done as she never leaves the safety of the nest. Another old fashioned remedy, using turmeric powder sprinkled where ants gather, might act as a repellent but ultimately will not attack the heart of the colony either.
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The treatment required may depend on the species
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There are a variety of baits used for different species of ant. You’ll find that baits containing sweet foods will attract certain species whereas others will be attracted to bait containing proteins. And some ants will only eat either high protein foods or sweet foods. Choosing which type of bait to use will depend wholly on the identification of the species infesting your household or property.
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If you’ve found yourself picking up on signs of ant activity and realised that your efforts to manage it haven’t been as successful as you’d hope, it may be time to contact a pest control specialist to carry out ant fumigation. A pest control specialist will have years of accumulated expertise to locate the nests and successfully identified ant species. The professional will be able to propose a suitable strategy for the elimination of the whole ant colony after doing a thorough inspection of your home and its surroundings, as well as advising you on methods for future prevention. Such strategies might include the use of a combination of materials like baits, growth regulators and insecticide dust or sprays.
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If you would like to contact a specialist and arrange an inspection or discuss a quote call Bruce Gow on 0417 251 911 or email him at bruce@a1pestcontrol.com.au.