PPC111 | Technical

In this article Natalie Bungay, BPCA's Technical Manager, writes about common ant species, treatment options and making the most of the summer ant season.

Jump to ant species.

We’re sure a lot of you are already out there battling with the immense number of call outs for ants entering homes and business across the UK. If not, then you’re one of the lucky ones – or are you? I suppose it depends on your perspective and contract agreements!

In this article we’re going to have a look at:
• Common ant species in the UK
• Treatment options
• Reviewing your contracts and how to make the best of your ant season.

Common ‘summer’ species – basic facts

We won’t examine all UK species, as we want to focus on the ants that mostly live outside and so have a season that generally runs from April to October.

Ants are social insects, which means, as the name suggests, that they live in colonies with a well-organised structure to ensure all essential jobs get done.

Whether it’s collecting food, protecting the colony from potential invaders or rearing the brood, every role is important and integral to the survival of the colony.

An interesting fact about ants is that they have a feeding behaviour called trophallaxis, which means the ants will share food by passing it from individual to individual. With the correct baiting strategy, this is an important trait that assists in the eradication of even larger colonies.

There are two approaches to consider:
• Giving the best advice and support to the customer 
• Consideration of the available treatment options.

“Yes, spraying or using an aerosol can knock down numbers to appease the customer but this can actually hinder a long term solution. You may kill a vast amount of foraging workers but the colony will remain intact and numbers will easily be replaced.”

Treatment

The advantages are plentiful: better safety for customers and technicians, a lesser hazard to the environment and non-target animals, more time efficient and, most importantly, more effective eradication of a colony.  So why do anything else?

Yes, spraying or using an aerosol can knock down numbers to appease the customer but this can actually hinder a long term solution. You may kill a vast amount of foraging workers but the colony will remain intact and numbers will easily be replaced.

Using a baiting strategy with your preferred active ingredient has too many advantages to not make it your go-to approach. To decide on which product is best for you, we recommend speaking to your supplier.

However, be sure to follow the label instructions for application rates based on your area coverage needed. If you do not use the product properly, you will waste copious amounts of bait, you’ll get an unhappy customer as the ants will not be eradicated – then you’ll get those dreaded call backs.

You also need to make sure that the species that you want to control is listed on the label. 

To ensure this, you need to be able to identify the ant species. As this is not an ant identification article, we recommend taking a look at antnest.co.uk/ant-species-uk

I see pest controllers being called most commonly for:

• Black garden ants (Lasius niger)
• Wood ants (Formica rufa)
• The newer invasive garden ants (Lasius neglectus).

Your treatment approach, as mentioned, will need to be site and species specific. These species have important variations in their preferred nesting locations and, in some circumstances, behaviour.

Summer ant species 

Black garden ant (Lasius niger)

Black garden ant (Lasius niger) wingless queen. Photo: Jens Buurgaard Nielsen

Black garden ant (Lasius niger) winged queen. Photo: Jens Buurgaard Nielsen

Nests may occur in walls, pavements, tree stumps in open woodland, pasture and open heath. Occasionally earth mounts are formed and foraging tracks are frequently covered by surface tunnels of earth. 

This species is aggressive and readily attacks other ants. Nests are single queened and moderately populous with several hundred up to 10,000 workers.

Black garden ants have generalised food habits. Many experts have observed them gathering insect remains, floral nectar, and the honeydew of insects such as aphids.

Invasive garden ant (Lasius neglectus)

Invasive garden ant (Lasius neglectus). Photo: April Nobile

L. neglectus is very similar, visually, to the black garden ant and, because of the sheer size and ability to split colonies, it is important that you can tell the difference. In some circumstances, you may need the help of an entomologist.

The general rule is that if you have an extraordinarily large infestation of black ants then you may want to check the ID.

This is a widespread European species that forms super colonies and has been spread through human activity.

This species is actually relatively new to the UK and in 2009 they were discovered at Hidcote Manor Garden, Gloucestershire, where the ant is believed to have been present for several decades.

Unlike the black garden ant, this species will have multiple queens in one nest and can split at any time deemed necessary.

At Hidcote, after a survey, it was discovered that the colony had spread over 12 hectares! It can be a pest species, entering buildings, disrupting soil in gardens and roadworks and damaging power supplies with its nest construction.

Wood ant (Formica rufa)

Above: Wood ant (Formica rufa). Photo: Richard Bartz.

A common forest ant that makes large mound nests and are very noticeable when walking through woodland. Bicoloured red and brownish black with variable degree of depth and size of colour variations.

This ant is quite easy to tell apart from the black garden ant or invasive garden ant. 

This ant can sometimes come into buildings that may back on to a wooded area and, in some instances, nests can be built within cavities and in ceiling voids. This is an aggressive species that can squirt acid but is known for its clumsiness.

100m foraging trails will radiate from a large nest, usually oriented toward suitable aphid-bearing trees.

Managing your ant season

As ant colonies can be persistent and, depending on the species, widespread, you may experience sites where you get repeated call outs for ant activity.

If you are benefitting from this as an ad hoc chargeable service, then it may not be an issue to you. But customers will still expect you to provide a solution to prevent a recurring problem.

Consider what we have covered such as using a targeted and thorough baiting programme to really get down to the core of the colony. Now may also be the time to consider the content of your service level agreements (SLA) with your customers.

I often see SLAs that state ants are covered as a contracted pest. This can wreak havoc on your profit and productivity where you may have a site that has recurring problems. 

For those sites that insist on coverage, be sure to factor in the history of the site and a judgement on how often you may be called out. This potential cost should be added to your contract pricing for the year.

A wood ant hill or mound. Photo: Anton Lefterov.