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The Pharaoh Ant is a tropical species but is thriving in the UK, thanks to our warm insulated properties. It is believed to have gained its name from a mistaken belief that it was one of the plagues during the pharaonic times in Egypt. They are not to be confused with the common garden ant. They are light yellow, around 2mm in size and can be a real menace for property owners. If you’re unsure what type of ant is in your property contact us to correctly identify the correct species for you.
Spotting a Pharaoh Ant invasion
The first sign of a Pharaoh Ant infestation is often when the property owner sees the ants walking across the floor or up the walls. You are most likely to spot them near food sources, water sources, or around their nesting areas. Their nests are often very well hidden, making them difficult to detect. Common nesting sites include wall voids, skirting boards and furniture.
Pharaoh ants are habitual and will forage for food along well-defined trails. You might see these trails of ants on walls, countertops, or other surfaces. However, these trails can change as they find new food sources.
One of the things that makes pharaoh ants particularly problematic is their ability to form multiple colonies with multiple queens. So, if you find several ant nests or satellite colonies throughout your home, it’s a clear sign of an infestation.
Pharaoh Ants will eat sugar, fruits, meats, and even small insects. They will also eat fatty or oily substances like grease and cooking oils. They can then go on to contaminate food with bacteria like Staphylococcus, Salmonella, and Clostridium. This is a particular concern in hospitals, food service businesses, and anywhere else where people with compromised immune systems might be present.
Act quickly and use a professional pest control company
If you detect any of these signs of a Pharaoh Ant infestation, it’s essential that you take immediate action and contact us. Please do not try to remove them yourself. Over-the-counter sprays might eradicate the visible ants, but it will not have any impact on the core of the colony.
The incorrect treatment can also trigger a threat response by the ants. When threatened, they release pheromones to warn other ants of danger. The worker ants will even move pupae and young larvae away from the original colony. This can then make the problem worse by scattering the colony and making it harder to eradicate.
Pharaoh Ant colonies will also split, when they get too large. A queen ant will lead a group of worker ants elsewhere and set up a new nest. So even if you think you have eliminated one nest, it is likely there will be another hidden somewhere else.
The ants will use pipes running throughout your entire building to move around and find new nesting areas. This means they can easily spread through the entire building. If you live in an apartment block, effective removal will require a coordinated effort from all residents and building management to schedule treatments at the same time.
The professional approach to eradicating Pharaoh Ants.
Here at Protex Pest Control Services, we use a multi-pronged approach to end Pharaoh Ant infestations:
