Ants are one of the most common crawling insect pests, often invading kitchens, food stores, and workplaces in search of food. Once inside, they can quickly become a nuisance and are difficult to eliminate without expert help. At ASW Pest Control, we provide safe, effective ant treatments for homes and businesses across Wiltshire and the surrounding areas. Our discreet service not only removes existing infestations but also helps prevent ants from returning, giving you long-term peace of mind.
Ants are highly adaptable and often thrive in close association with human dwellings, nesting in gardens, lawns, pavements, and even inside buildings. Typically attracted to food sources, especially anything sweet, and once a foraging trail has been established, large numbers can quickly invade kitchens, pantries, and storage areas. While they are not generally harmful to health, their presence in food preparation or storage areas can cause contamination concerns and become a nuisance.
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Common Black Ant/Garden Ant (Lasius Niger)
Within a common black ant nest, there will be only one queen and infertile female ants will become workers looking for food. They are seldom more than a nuisance and are not known to transmit serious disease organisms like some other ant species. However, they have a wide spectrum of acceptable foods and sometimes accessing these foods requires walking across unsavoury and unclean areas leading to ants invading houses or commercial premises being considered unacceptable.
Pharaoh’s Ants (Monomorium Pharaonis)
The Pharaoh’s ant is a species of the tropics and subtropics, believed to originate from North Africa or the Mediterranean area. However, since its first recorded sighting in Britain in the early years of the 19th Century, the Pharaoh’s ant is now found widely throughout the British Isles in suitably warm buildings. Unlike the common black ant, Pharaoh’s ants are an indoor species in the UK and are particularly associated with hospitals, prisons and other institutions and increasingly in large urban.
2-3mm in length
Large head with a slim thorax and elbowed antenna
Fertile male and female ants are winged and may be seen mating in the air during warmer afternoons
Foraging workers can often find their way into properties in search of food.
Once a food source has been found, a trail is laid by the ants for more to follow
Black ants favour sweet sticky foods and large numbers of ants can very quickly invade for a good food source
New ant colonies are started by a single fertilised female
Eggs are laid and hatch into grubs after three to four weeks
Grubs will pupate after around three weeks and adult ants will emerge usually less than two weeks later
Males often die quickly after mating and only a small proportion of mated females will survive to start a new colony
Ants usually enter properties in search of food, particularly sweet or sugary items. Once a food source is found, they leave a scent trail for other ants to follow, which is why large numbers can appear very quickly, especially in kitchens and storage areas.
Most ants in the UK, such as common black ants, are more of a nuisance than a direct health risk. However, they can contaminate food and surfaces by travelling across unclean areas, which can be a concern in both domestic kitchens and commercial environments.
Effective ant control focuses on eliminating the source of the infestation, not just the visible ants. This usually involves targeted treatments that reach the nest, along with advice on removing food sources and breaking scent trails to prevent further activity.
Ants can return if the nest has not been fully eliminated or if food sources are still easily accessible. Because colonies can be hidden in walls, floors, or outside areas, professional treatment is often needed to ensure the entire colony is dealt with properly.
Prevention includes keeping surfaces clean, storing food in sealed containers, and sealing entry points around doors, windows, and pipework. Early action is key, as once a trail is established, ants can quickly return in large numbers.
