Flying ants are the scourge of many homes in summer months leaving many people to dread the summer and the annual flying ants invasion which they expect the summer will herald
Only the unfortunate people who have suffered it will appreciate the true nature of flying ants in their homes.
Having an infestation of plain old wingless ants is bad enough but when they go through their annual mating phase the situation can become horrifying.
Ants often form colonies under the floors and in the wall cavities of our homes and these colonies will continue for many years if left untreated and become progressively more persistent each year.
Our houses are warm and dry and make the perfect places for a thriving ant colony; even solid hard floor is not a hindrance to and ant colony.
Our central heating systems raises their metabolism even in the winter months and my earliest ant call-out was on my birthday, which falls in January!
Ants like a sandy soil and there are many areas in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester which have more ant problems than most others, Southport, Blackpool, Bolton, Sale & Altrincham come to mind as hot ant spots.
Unfortunately it is when they are in their mating phase that they are most irksome. Here in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester this often is pretty often around the middle to end of July.
Ants mate in flight and sometime around mid-summer the colony produces winged immature Queens and flying males which in nature would fly off and mate in the air. Many thousands of these winged ants are produced per colony and nests tend to synchronise their production in order to mate with ants from other nests.
Usually this process starts after a few of days of hot, dry weather and will often last for about a week or so although smaller releases will continue throughout most of the summertime.
Unfortunately when the nest is built under the floor of the house the results can be dreadful, literally thousands of flying are produced into the lower rooms, aiming for windows as they go towards the light.
This can be unbelievably upsetting for some people leading to severe emotional distress to the degree that people learn to loath the summertime and have actually left their homes to escape the plague of ants which they know will appear each summer.
The colder summers of 2007, 2008 & 2009 has meant that ant call-outs were reduced on the preceding but ants apparently have a way of catching up and 2010 might be a particularly good year for them.
Many people who have this problem try for DIY solutions with products from hardware shops etc but mostly these efforts are doomed to failure as they are not getting to the heart of the problem which is the nest itself, hidden away safely in the cavity wall or sub-floor area.
Fortunately for many people help.
At Harrier Pest Prevention (subject to site survey) we are able to cure this problem and give an extendable 3 year guarantee.
The treatment which is carried out mostly from the outside of the house, is totally safe for animals and children and leaves no smell, involves drilling small holes into the cavity walls of the house, not unlike a damp-proof course injection and blowing a long lasting insecticide into the cavity wall under pressure.
This forms an impenetrable barrier across which the ants cannot cross and together with a precautionary internal spray treatment (if deemed necessary) will gradually bring the infestation under control.
The holes, which are only 8mm in diameter remain open so it is simply a matter of topping up the wall cavities every three years to extend the period of the guarantee in 3 year blocks.
This procedure is best done out in the early spring however it can be done at any time of year.
As a very limited time offer before our busy period begins we are offering 25 percent off the normalstandard price until May 30 2010. Whilst we usually cover the whole of Lancashire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester, we are willing to venture further afield but this will be at extra cost.
For a chat or to arrange an appointment contact Harrier Pest Control on Free Phone 0800 019 8382 or 01257 230637
Ant Pest Control ? Don’t suffer flying ant infestations, take action now!