When ants invade your home, it’s not just an inconvenience; it’s a full-scale invasion that often calls for professional ant pest control. Thinking of your house as your stronghold can help frame the situation clearly: your space has been breached, and it’s time to take action. Turning it into a team effort at home, especially if you have kids, can even make the clean-up process a bit more fun. Small tasks like wiping up crumbs and sealing containers suddenly feel more important when you’re defending your space from an army of ants.
However, to properly identify the species and determine the most effective ant colony removal method, it’s best to call in an expert. A professional ant exterminator can assess the situation and recommend a tailored ant pest control plan for your home, ensuring that the entire colony, not just the visible workers, is eliminated.
Ants Pest Control in Ireland – What You Need To Know
Ants in Ireland are quite common. Ant infestations are a common issue, and knowing when to seek ant extermination services can help protect your home. Although you may think that the climate is unsuitable for ants, the fact remains that ants are very resilient and able to adapt to varying temperatures throughout the country. So, whether you live in Dublin or Cork, there are things you should know about ant pest control in your home.
Identifying the Right Species Before Ant Extermination
There are many different species of ants in Ireland. Each one has its behaviours, tendencies and favourite living conditions. Identifying what kind of ant pests are in or around your home is key for your ant exterminator to decide on how to control and get rid of them.
Garden Ants
Garden ants are the most common variety to be found in Ireland. When these ants stay outside in their natural habitat, they can be innocuous or even helpful in the garden. However, when they infiltrate the home, they can be problematic. They are between four and five mm in length, and they are dark brown to black. They do not sting. These ants are foragers and can quickly pick up food scents. They are fond of sweeter foods like baked goods and sugar. Bear in mind that one granule of sugar is enough to incite a food chain trail of garden ants in the kitchen. An ant exterminator may use a targeted garden ant treatment to clear your kitchen or home effectively.
Pharaoh Ants
This kind of ant is noticeably thinner than a common garden ant. They are also shorter, with workers averaging about 1.5 to 2 mm long. They are yellowish brown with a darker lower body (abdomen). They have two long protruding antennae that are hard to miss. Most obviously, Pharaoh Ants can produce wings in adulthood, but these fall away shortly after mating. They are attracted to morsels of dead meat, fat and even blood and are mostly a nuisance in hospitals. You’re more likely to encounter this kind of ant in the hot and humid seasons.
Ghost Ants
Ghost ants are very hard to see, as their name implies. Their body are transparent and they are only about 1.5 mm in length. They will eat almost anything, but prefer sweeter foods like honey and molasses. They are also attracted to grease and greasy foods like rashers. The thing with ghost ants is that you may not even realise you have a colony inside the home until they all swarm out when you leave something edible on the table, floor or counter.
Roger’s Ants
Roger’s ants are caramel coloured and about 2 mm in length. They have a stinger and use it quite readily. They prefer living indoors and forage almost constantly for food. Adults can develop wings, in which case, professional ant extermination may be required to apply flying ant treatments. Roger’s ants are commonly found around water sources, like around drain pipe entry points.
Preventing Ant Infestations – Tips from Ant Pest Control Experts
The single most effective step you can take to prevent ants in the home is to practice good hygiene. Don’t leave food out on the counter, even to thaw. Keep as much food as you can inside the fridge, including flour, tea and sugar. When you cook, wipe countertops more than once. Lift items on the counter and wipe underneath. Sweep floors nightly.
If you have pets that eat in the home, take up their food bowls when they are finished eating. Certain ants will swiftly swarm to pet food bowls. They may be so small you don’t even see them, but you’ll know when your pet eschews the food.
For food that must be stored at room temperature, use canisters that seal completely. Glass and metal canisters are preferable, but plastic is useful, too.
Need an Ant Exterminator?
If you do have an ant infestation in your home, contact us for spraying for ants. We can come out and inspect the situation and come up with the best ant pest control solution for your needs, such as using a house ants killer treatment formula. The sooner you call, the sooner your home can be free from ants, with fast, safe, and effective ant pest control.
To arrange your pest control inspection, simply call a team member on:
086 233 7727 or email us on info@effectivepestcontrol.ie or fill out our Request a Call Back Form above.