Ant Pest Control
If you need help with a pest problem, feel free to consult our experts. Chat now or call (02) 8007 4666 to talk to our pest exterminators!
No one enjoys having ants crawling around their home, eating scraps of food in the kitchen, or randomly crawling in long trails on the wall. Since New South Wales (NSW) is susceptible to drought and extreme heat, ants will seek out sources of food and water inside your house. Ants can travel long distances from their colony to seek food. Some may even end up starting a new nest in and around your property.
If you're dealing with an ant problem in your home or commercial property, you may call us for a FREE CONSULTATION. For pest control in Sydney, trust only the masters!
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How exactly can we get rid of the ants? Here are the first steps you need to take to stop ants from infesting your property.
1. The first thing you need to do is conduct a thorough inspection, starting with a conversation with your pest control professional.
2. Get the floor plan of your house and mark all the areas where you've seen ants.
3. Consult a pest exterminator. Discuss the problem with a professional and show them the marked floor plan. This way, you can help the pest exterminator determine the location of the ant mound and can help them when planning where to place the ant baits.
Ants have been found nesting in vehicles have made their nests in the First Aid Kit in a glove box and inside the wing mirror of an ambulance van! If you can find the nest, it will make your job a lot easier as you can deal with it directly.
If not, you will have to use sprays, dust, and baits. These will take longer, but if you use them as they should be used, they will still have a good effect. When using ant baits, you must identify the ant species so you can use the correct bait.
Dealing with an Ant Infestation on Your Property
Ants like building their nests pretty much anywhere, but they really enjoy having an access point to food and water sources. Look for any ant colony or mound located around your property.
One spot that can be a place for ants to build a nest is your dryer vent, located outside the house. Here they have a straightforward entry point to plenty of water and food since in most houses it is common practice to have a dryer vent near the kitchen.
This is a great place to start looking for ants. Other places they like to hide include the porch and near doors. It would help if you also inspected flowerbeds and the rest of the yard. (RELATED: How to get rid of ants)
Guidelines for Effective Ant Bait Usage
When employing ant baits, adhering to these fundamental rules is essential:
1. Timely Consumption
Ants should consume ant bait within 1 to 2 days when it is most appealing and moist. Typically, ants will succumb within 3 days after feeding.
2. Accurate Species Identification
To effectively combat ant infestations, correctly identify the ant species involved. Precise classification aids professionals in pinpointing ant nests and feeding sites.
3. Trail Targeting
Locate ant trails before bait placement; otherwise, bait may go to waste without ants present.
4. Varied Bait Formulas
Different ants have varying dietary preferences, including sweets and proteins. Some ant species may alter their diet based on seasonal or environmental conditions. Thus, maintaining a variety of baits is advisable.
5. Proximity to Trails
Position ant bait in close proximity to ant trails, as these trails often lead to feeding or nesting sites.
6. Adequate Bait Quantity
Ensure you apply a sufficient amount of ant bait for effective results.
7. Eliminate Competing Food
Remove all other accessible food and liquids from your premises to prevent food competition.
8. Heat and Surface Consideration
Avoid placing gel baits near heat sources, as heat can cause them to liquefy, rendering them ineffective. Similarly, refrain from using them on porous surfaces to prevent water loss.
9. Sunlight Sensitivity
Some baits lose potency quickly when exposed to sunlight, so be aware of which types are sensitive to sunlight.
10. Expiry Date Labeling
Granulated baits may expire after three months, so it's advisable to mark the package with the date of opening.
11. Avoid Insecticide Interference
Do not place ant baits on surfaces that have been or will be treated with powder or liquid insecticides to ensure their effectiveness.
Professional Ant Pest Control Team - Fully-Insured, Certified and Licensed Professionals
Ants, in most cases, are considered pests when they show up in your home or office. Outdoors, however, ants serve an important function for the environment. They clean the environment and aerate the soil. This is why ants should not be killed recklessly unless there is a good reason to do so.
The Masters of Pest Control in Sydney uses the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) method to get to the bottom of a pest problem. Our pest control team will thoroughly inspect your property, remove food and water sources, locate nests, and apply pest solutions as needed so that ants won't see your property as their playground.
Please send us a message, chat, or call today (02) 8007 4666
Common Ant Species in Sydney
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White-footed black house ants (Technomyrmex albipes) are the common black house ants.
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Black house ant (Ochetellus glaber) is an ant species that normally make their nests in the ground or decaying wood.
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Coastal brown ants (Pheidole megacephala) is an ant species usually found in buildings and piles of rocks, soil and debris.
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Brown house ants (Doleromyrma darwiniana) are ants that have similar nesting habits as coastal brown ants.
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Pharaoh's ants (Monomorium pharaonis) is a rare ant species in Australia but is very common in Europe and USA.
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Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) can be very aggressive and can drive out other ants and other animals from their living or nesting areas.
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Odorous ants (Tapinoma minutum) are ants that make their nests inside buildings and in wall voids.
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Singapore ants (Monomorium destructor) have a powerful bite and sting.
Choosing the Right Ant Pest Control Team
Avoid outdated pest control methods.
In the old days, ant pest control measures were really unsophisticated. The pest controller would arrive at the location, unroll his long hose and deluge the front and backyard with approximately 60 litres of insecticide, typically organochlorine. This blanket spray, as often called, would cover all gardens, lawns, pathways, and the base of the house. Roof voids would have been covered with a synthetic pyrethroid powder and sometimes with space sprays with Dichlorvos. Was this effective? Well, whatever you think, this method often required a call-back as ants were still showing everywhere.
Avoid ineffective ant control methods that do not provide a lasting solution.
So, why was this method ineffective? Mostly because there was no real effort in trying to locate the nests. With this approach, insecticide would kill mostly workers but leave the larvae and pupae unharmed, leaving them to emerge as adults. The emulsion of the insecticide would be absorbed into the surface, which would prevent it from being picked up by the insects. However, this was the only and most used method that no one questioned, except for those who still had ants.
Avoid pest control that makes use of harmful or toxic chemicals.
Later on, insecticides were applied in a grid pattern to reduce the quantity used. Organochlorines were still not available at this time, and organophosphates such as chlorpyrifos were used. These were highly toxic and had a strong smell. More importantly, they were much more expensive. The breakthrough arrived with the introduction of ant baits available as solids, liquids, and viscous gels.
Important Note About Ant Control:
Ant colonies that have only one queen, such as Camponotus, can be dealt with easily. Ant species with multiple queens and nests, such as Argentine ants, Odorous house ants, and Pharaoh's ants, can be trickier to exterminate.
For instance, if you try to exterminate a Pharaoh's Ant colony using synthetic pyrethroid, this would only result in their queen ants leaving the colony and building a new colony elsewhere in your property. In the end, you'll have to pay for another pest control service.
This is why identifying a species is of utmost importance. Many pest control workers do not bother identifying the ant species and class them as black or brown. Proper identification of the ant species is important and should be done before doing anything else.
This is why you need to book the right pest control company for the job. Our team will strategically remove ants on your property and give you a lasting solution. Chat now or call (02) 8007 4666!
Are ants dangerous?
The majority of ant species are not considered pests but only some native and introduced ant species cause concern. Some ants make their nests in decaying wood and are suspected of causing destruction when they will only infest already decaying wood.
Most ants come from the outside of households, but they can commonly find nests in places such as roof voids, wall cavities, inside window screens, and behind bathroom tiles. Basically, ants like the same places as cockroaches, so the control methods are very similar. Because of their nesting habits, ants often leave piles of gritty matter on the horizontal surfaces or around doors and window frames. If you inspect these piles up close, they often contain dead ants removed from their nests.
No matter how hard you clean the piles, they will continue to reappear as long as ants live near. This is not big of a problem, but it tends to get bigger as ants make their way inside pantries or food containers. Luckily for us, they are not considered dangerous to human health, but very rare Pharaoh´s ants that are very common in hospital areas can sometimes carry diseases.
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How to spot an ant infestation?
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Kitchens — benchtops, skirting boards, window sills, behind and inside cupboards, the backside of the refrigerator where the motor is located, behind kitchen taps and wall tiles, and under the sink;
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All interior areas — skirting boards, carpet edges, window sills, power points (watch out for electricity), electrical cables, taps, and tiles. Look for piles of grit, sand, and dead ants as these usually form directly near the ant activity;
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Exterior areas — ants can be anywhere as they can be trailing near fence rails, paths, in the lawn, or the garden.
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Some species can be more active during the night. Following an ant trail that seems to disappear suddenly, you may find them appearing outside near the point of disappearance. If this proves unsuccessful, it probably means that they are nesting inside a wall or roof voids.
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Since ants are social insects, they need to have a nest which is their centre of operations. Some ant species nest in decaying wood and soil, while some nest inside dwellings in many locations.
Ant Insecticide Safety Guide
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Non-repellent formulations are often superior to repellent formulations such as synthetic pyrethroids. This is because the ants will go through the non-repellent insecticide unknowingly. Some kinds of non-repellent actives and formulations are Bendiocarb, Fipronil, Indoxacarb, and Chlorfenapyr.
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The sprays need to be applied to the base of walls, fences, and garden beds.
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Sprays should be re-applied after the rain.
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Insecticidal dust needs to be applied to roof voids as well.
Are insecticides necessary when removing an ant infestation? Consult our team to find out!
Effective Ant Control: Expert Tips
When dealing with an ant infestation, it's crucial to take precise pest control measures. Here are some expert tips to assist you in effectively managing ant populations:
1. Target the Nest
Identify the ant mound, which is the heart of their colony. To eliminate ants successfully, it's essential to focus on this central location.
2. Organic Pest Control Products
While there are organic pest control products available, they can sometimes be hit-or-miss. Organic remedies often lead ants to relocate and build new nests, making it crucial to target the source.
3. Queen Elimination
The key to eradicating an ant colony is to eliminate the queen. Some homemade mixtures, such as a blend of cinnamon, baking soda, and coffee grinds, can deter ants. However, highly effective organic products are available, albeit at a higher cost. These products dehydrate ants to the point of death.
4. Professional Assistance
Consider seeking professional help from ant experts who possess the knowledge and experience to tackle infestations effectively. They understand the precise actions required to eliminate ants comprehensively.
For expert ant control services, contact us at (02) 8007 4666 today to ensure a pest-free environment.