Garden or Black Ant control
Lady Mole Catcher is also qualified to deal with garden or black ants. As a professional wildlife management specialist, she has the knowledge and skills to deal with infestations as well as having access to specific insecticides which are not available to the general public.
What are garden or black ants?
Although there are thousands of ant species in existence across the world, here in the UK we live alongside garden or black ants (Lasius niger). These ants enjoy living outside in damp environments with plenty of nutrients – which is why they’re often found on our lawns, in compost heaps, under flower pots and patios. As social insects, ants are often found in abundance and while they’re not generally considered as a garden pest, they can be a nuisance. Ant nests usually contain one or more fertile female queen ants, which lay eggs in chambers. The rest of the ants within the nest tend to be small sterile females (‘worker ants’) who look after the nest, feed the larvae and gather food. Each colony can hold up to half a million ants and while worker ants can live for up to 7 years, a queen ant can live for up to 15 years! Ants will also swarm every year (usually in August) – this is when the young queens fly away to set up their own colonies. These are what we refer to as ‘flying ants’, whenever we see them in large numbers during the late summer.
How do you know if you have ants on your property?
If you see lots of ants inside your house or business premises, then you will know that you have a problem. If you find them in your kitchen, then the infestation must be dealt with quickly to avoid contamination. Outside, you may see small piles of earth around holes in soil, in the cracks between paving slabs and at the base of walls which indicate entry and exit points to the ants’ nest.
Why control Ants?
There are a few issues to consider if you discover an infestation:
- Although ants are not generally thought to carry diseases, they will travel long distances and may have trodden in a variety of contaminants before trailing them across your floors and walls
- Ants travel a long way and are attracted by food! If you run a restaurant, contaminated stock will need to be disposed of to meet strict UK health & safety standards
- Business reputations (and financial budgets) may suffer if large numbers of ants are seen on the premises or are found in an area that should be maintaining high levels of hygiene
- Ants usually protect aphids from attack by ladybirds so that they can keep their delicious supply of honeydew. This can lead to an increased number of aphids in your garden which damage plants and flowers
- A professional wildlife management specialist will know the signs of an ant infestation straight away which means the problem can be handled correctly, saving you money and stress in the long run
Louise Chapman BA (Hons) PGCE
Norfolk’s very own Lady Mole Catcher®
Who I work with
- Householders in their gardens
- Farmers and Land Agents
- Outdoor Leisure Facilities
- Businesses
- Restaurants and Pubs
- Schools/Colleges
- Local Authorities
If Garden or Black Ants are causing problems for you, get in touch with Louise to arrange for a site survey or consultation. Call 01603 25 99 45 or 07876 14 11 53 or email louise@ladymolecatcher.co.uk