Ants Control

Why Should Ants be Treated?

Worker ants will frequently enter dwellings foraging for food, particularly sweet substances. While not a risk to human health, they can be present in sufficient numbers to cause a nuisance. The ants will almost certainly be coming from several nests so locating 1 nest and destroying that will have a limited effect.

Preparation

Prior to treatment the effected areas should be cleaned, any cupboards emptied & toys, pets etc removed from the area.

Treatment

The infested and surrounding areas have been treated with an insecticide spray called Demand CS'* which contains Lambda-cyhalothrin. The HSE Number is 6287 and the product is made by Sorex. Demand CS is probably the most modern insecticide available. Also a powder might be used called Ficam D*. This contains an insecticide in a dust formulation @ 1% w/w Bendiocarb.
Both insecticides are biodegradable, almost odourless, non tainting & do not corrode or stain.
The outside as well as inside areas would have been sprayed as the nests are usually outside but the insects may swarm or forage for food inside. A band of insecticide has been sprayed around windows, doors and walls to keep them out. The ants walk over the treated areas and return to the nest touching other ants and larvae with their contaminated bodies which passes on enough insecticide to kill the nest(s). This may take up to 2 weeks (if treatment is carried out before April or in cold weather the activity may continue sporadically for up to 6 weeks), immediate improvement is always noticeable but do not wash down or vacuum treated areas for at least 2 months.

What do I do afterwards?

Do not wash down or vacuum treated areas for at least 2 months. The insecticide will slowly de grade but will break down straight away if you wash or vacuum treated surfaces. Immediately after treatment let the spray dry, do not clean or wipe up any puddles, if you touch the treated surface while still wet then wash off, do not let animals on the treated areas until dry. Flying Ants are the Queens and Drones that the workers have pushed out to start new nests for the following year, although the original nest may last several years. Occasionally Ants will swarm after treatment (usually late Summer), this will quickly die down as swarming ants come into contact with treated surfaces. The treatment is designed to keep ants out from inside areas. This treatment is guaranteed (treated areas only) for one month after the first spray, and is only valid as long instructions and advice on hygiene and other matters are adhered to. Insecticide treatments will only work on clean surfaces.