Pest Guide: Ants.

When the ants wake up from hibernation, they seek food in places near us humans. Their strong appeal to sweet foods, search for moist habitats and collective lifestyles make them quickly invade areas. In Sweden, we have about 80 different ant species, but it is black ants that most commonly occur as pests in houses and around properties. They are 2 to 4 millimeters long and completely black and swarm most in June and August. Below is a brief guide on how to prevent and counteract invasions by ants.

Why fight ants?

The ant, which is actually a useful animal in nature, does more harm than good once it has entered businesses and buildings. In addition to affecting the hygienic aspect and well-being, they can damage food for the business and create land changes and weeds. The ants leave scent traces, which means that more ants find their way to the source and ant colonies are formed in a short time. Larger ant invasions are created when the ant multiplies intensively and the consequences become problematic and difficult to control.

Signs of ants 

There are four different types of anthill - the stack, the ground nest, the wooden nest and other places such as panels and house foundations. Black ants usually build nests in the ground, preferably under rocks, paving or in grass tufts. Sometimes it is necessary to wipe out the ant nest itself to get to grips with the problem. Below we list the most common signs that you have an anthill near your building.

• It is common for it to be full of ants in a certain place
• Larger swarms of flying ants (this happens in the summer months)

Counteract the presence of ants:

There are many measures to be taken to reduce the risk of ants entering the business and establishing themselves in the immediate area. We give you help along the way with a checklist that may be worth looking at in early spring when the ants come to life.

• Quickly remove spills from sweet drinks such as juice or sugar in the pantry that can attract ants
• Empty the soups frequently
• Dense cracks where ants can enter
• Repair any water leaks
• Make sure that the house walls are kept in a clean condition
• Avoid planting shrubs in close proximity to the business as the ants like to build nests in the moist soil

How to get rid of ants

Once the ants have found their way into the business, it is important to first and foremost dry clean and ensure that packaging and storage are tightly closed. Thereafter, other measures may be needed that effectively combat the ant invasion. Today, there are many direct-acting nature-based agents that the ants themselves can transport and thus the ant community is wiped out. Below we go through the most common and most effective approaches.

• Ant boxes with nature-based lure. Hygienic and effective method that wipes out the ant nest from the inside. Place the poisonous pasture along the ants' hiking trails to quickly access the ant community.
• Ant repellent - Direct-acting ant repellent that is placed at and around properties where the ants reside
• Ant repellent for dewatering - intended to wipe out larger ant communities outdoors. Applied directly to the nest - try to locate the nest by tracking the ants' entrances