A feature of any wet and warm summer is the emergence of ants, digging their way through the mortar of bricks and pavers and often invading your kitchen.
While there are more than 12,000 species in the ant family, the two most common pests across the Southern Hemisphere are the sugar ant (also known as the carpenter ant) and the pavement ant.
While it’s never fun to see them marching across your benchtop looking for scraps, we can be grateful our homes are rarely visited by bull ants, also known as bulldog ants or jumping jacks.
Whatever you call them, they’re the most aggressive ants in Australia and New Zealand. And you’ll know all about it if you’re ever bitten by one!
For those selling their home, the last thing you want any buyer to see is evidence of an ant invasion. Below are some options to rid yourself of the pests.
Invaders’ strategy
Ants will often enter your home through gaps in the mortar of bricks and where window timbers and brickwork meet. Another favourite entry point is the sliding door.
Seal cracks
Ants thrive on cracks in your pathways and the joins between concrete or cement paths and brick walls. Where you see gaps, seal them, as this will give ants less incentive to make their home at your place.
Clean kitchen
Grease and sugar are major lures. Always wipe down your benchtops after preparing food and before going to bed. Also, check for food that might have fallen on the floor. Don’t leave any food out, throw it in the bin or put it in the fridge.
Bait them
Place baits where you see ant activity, and on the path an ant column takes. Worker ants will take the bait back to the nest, and the queen will eat it. If you want to make your own concoction, use borax with syrup or honey.
Get in the pros
Larger nests, sometimes serving more than 30,000 ants, will have more than one queen. It can be challenging to get on top of the situation when facing this scale of problem. Consider calling a professional pest controller in these circumstances.
Give them a spray – There’s no point in spraying individual ants. Trace them back to the nest. A small, cone-shaped mound of soil usually indicates a nest’s location. Spray liberally when you find it. Commercially available granules also work well.