BLACK ANTS
Ants are social insects living in colonies of varying sizes, some with well over a million ants. Generally speaking, ants are typically a nuisance around the home rather than posing a serious threat to structural integrity, the exception being carpenter ants. There are over 900 genera of ants in sub Saharan Africa, but here are the most common types of ants that are likely to trouble you:
CARPENTER ANTS / COCKTAIL ANTS
These ants are sometimes known as cocktail ants as they raise their abdomen to point upwards when they are disturbed. They like to nest inside house roofing as it is warm and dry. Despite their name, they take a very long time to cause any significant amount of damage to timber. Carpenter ant colonies are quite small compared to other ant species and so only very large colonies are of any great concern – these large colonies are uncommon. Carpenter ants are about 3-6mm long with reddish-brown head, thorax and legs and a black heart-shaped, pointed abdomen
How serious is a Carpenter ant problem?
When carpenter ants build nests, they dig out tunnels in wood, weakening it from the inside. A long-term infestation with multiple colonies in a home often means serious structural damage and unsightly cosmetic damage.
What are the signs of a Carpenter ant problem?
These insects usually build their nests in damp, sound or decaying wood. Homes with moisture issues caused by leaks are prime targets for carpenter ants. The pests will also use tree branches that overhang roofs as a bridge, accessing buildings to find a way inside. Unsealed openings around utility pipes and wires are common entry points.
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The worker trails may be observed foraging for food.
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Winged alates or “flying ants” are usually produced when a colony matures and is ready to form new colonies. These winged individuals often indicate a well-established colony.
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An additional sign of activity is the debris they produce from tunneling in the wood. Rough wood shavings mixed with parts of dead ants from the colony indicate nesting activity. The debris typically falls down from the roof above and is easily noticed in houses with tongue and groove cladding without a large ceiling space.
What we will do
Treat known areas where worker ants are moving or have been seen. Find and treat the nest site to eliminate the colony. All moisture conditions that the ants found conducive to nest building must be corrected. If treated early, serious structural damage to houses and buildings can be avoided. Call us for a free quote.
BROWN HOUSE ANTS / BIG HEADED ANTS
These ants are native to Zimbabwe and are easily identified because of the enlarged heads of the major worker caste. They are often attracted to food scraps such as in dustbins, dog bowls, children’s food scraps and so on. They prefer food items that are higher in protein and fats vs. sugars although they do also tend aphids for honeydew. They are also attracted to small electrical currents such as in electric gate motor circuitry, household burglar sensors and even electric fences that may earth because of ants bridging a small gap. These ants typically become problematic in cases where they are well established and resources dry up. This causes them to swarm inside looking for water and food resources, sometimes inundating sleeping and living quarters and covering working surfaces in the kitchen. These ants have much larger colonies than carpenter ants and typically nest in cracks of foundations, under flower pots, in brickwork or under coping stones around the house. In some cases ‘mega-colonies’ can be found, these often occur in areas with ideal nest sites and abundant resources. Mega-colonies comprise of many smaller nests containing multiple queens over a larger area, the workers do not have nest specific odours and so can exist throughout the whole colony as there are no specific boundaries between the nests. They are small ants (2-3mm) and as their name suggests, they are brown.
How serious is a Brown House ant problem?
Brown house ants are merely a nuisance. They do not cause significant structural damage to buildings. People often get concerned when they notice ants removing loose sand from underneath brickwork or other man-made structure around the house, this generally doesn’t lead to anything other than a household invasion when resources become an issue for the ant colony. These ants are considered beneficial in the garden as they will attack and eat termites and other pest insects. In some heavily developed nest sites in lawns, the grass may die due to the over-aeration of their root zone; this only happens when there is no irrigation and the roots dry excessively.
What are the signs of a Brown House ant problem?
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Loose sand grains appearing inside around skirting boards.
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Loose sand grains forming a neat volcano-like structure around the nest entrance; this is typical of vertical nest entrances in floor cracks and brickwork or driveway pavers.
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Ants swarming to food waste and water points in the home.
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Circuitry damage in gate motors and burglar alarm sensors.
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Widespread foraging worker ants, sometimes in beds and covering the floors.
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Ant trails moving along the floor, typically along the wall/floor junction.
What we will do
There are a few considerations that need to be taken into account before we decide how to go about treating the ant issue. Usually with a bit of information from you, we can give a fairly accurate treatment cost estimate. We need to know a few things such as:
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Are the ants causing issues internally, if so, is it widespread or in just a few places such as the kitchen?
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Are they commonly found in the kettle or being attracted to sugar bowls or honey jars in the pantry?
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Approximate size of the house and other structures to be treated.
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Are there other areas in the garden that require treatment such as picnic tables, braai areas, swimming pool surrounds?
BLACK SUGAR ANTS
These ants are common household pests that like to live internally behind small spaces such as fitted cupboards, unfinished or cracked tiles and grouting, and in ceilings. They are jet black and only very slightly larger (2.5-3mm) than the Brown House ants. They do not possess major workers with large heads. Their abdomen is also larger than those of Brown House ants, and is sometimes swollen with water or liquid food resources. Black Sugar ants are sometimes seen in great numbers moving in trails carrying their eggs and larvae to newly chosen nesting sites.
What are the signs of a Black Sugar ant problem?
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Trails of ants on walls or counters, sometimes vertically or horizontally, but not commonly along the wall/floor junction.
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Trails of ants on the corners of structures moving up to roofing or breeze blocks above.
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Ants swarming to sweet sugar filled food items like sugar, syrup and honey.
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Ants found in taps, toilet cisterns and kettle.
What we will do
There are a few considerations that need to be taken into account before we decide how to go about treating the ant issue. Usually with a bit of information from you, we can give a fairly accurate treatment cost estimate. We need to know a few things such as:
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Are the ants causing issues internally, if so, is it widespread or in just a few places such as the kitchen?
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Are they commonly found in the kettle or being attracted to sugar bowls or honey jars in the pantry?
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Have you noticed trails of ants moving to and from a single nesting site or area?
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Approximate size of the house and other structures to be treated.
SOME OTHER COMMON ANTS
If you are having issues with another kind of ant, unlike the three described above, peruse the gallery of other species, this may help with identification. Feel free to call and discuss these issues with us – we can help!
