Treatments to Control Pharoahs Ants
Whether in homes or commercial properties and pretty much regardless of the
extent of the problem, these pests CANNOT be controlled effectively by insecticidal sprays.
The reason for this is detailed in the biology section below.
Effective Pharaohs
Ant control is carried out by feeding them a purpose made bait
in multiple small enclosures placed along their usual trails.
Worker ants take the bait back to the nest for food which causes sterility in the queens so they can no longer reproduce.
This
means that the demise of the colony is inevitable although time
consuming. Such a programme usually lasts 14-16 weeks as the life-span
of a worker ant is 12-14 weeks, with the queens living slightly longer. A
reduction in numbers is expected to be noticeable after about four
weeks as ants die off naturally.
EBS
have successfully controlled such infestations in properties ranging
from small food outlets, right up to 100+ room accomodation blocks. Our
technical Surveyors will always need to visit first to provide accurate
cost and optimum treatment - Free of charge and without obligation to
you.
Pharaohs Ant Outline Biology & Habits
The
Pharaohs Ant originated in the tropics, and is now spread almost
worldwide, even in cooler regions where the insect lives indoors taking
advantage of our centrally heated buildings.
It
prefers a high protein diet including cheese, milk nuts, dead insects,
food grease and cooked or raw meat, but will eat many other foods
including fruit juices and honey.
They
are a particular nuisance in hospitals where their small size allows
them to get beneath medical dressings, IV drips. etc where they further
spread infection.
To
identify, worker ants are around 1.5-2mm long, yellow to golden brown
in colour and darkening slightly at the hind quarters. They have no
stings and colony sizes can range up to the low thousands. They follow
constant trails between their nests and food sources identified by
chemical scents left behind and prefer to nest in warm dark areas such
as underfloor close to heating pipes and the like.
A
colony of Pharaohs Ants will have multiple queens. As they mature, they
will set up a new nest, sometimes only a few metres away from the
original which will develop seperately. This habit is known as
’budding’. Should a nest be disturbed, the workers and queens will take
eggs and start new nests elsewhere.
This
is the chief reason why insecticidal spray treatments against are not
effective as the insects perceive the threat, run away and start the new
nests.
