In an older house, a trail of ants may start under a floorboard or behind a tiled splashback. Following it takes patience, but it tells you what to do.
Ants communicate with scent. A scout that finds sugar or fat lays a chemical path that others follow, which is why you see a neat line. The route usually runs along edges: skirting boards, the base of units, the join between worktop and wall. Watching where the line starts and finishes can show you both the food source and the entry point.
Daybrook is a suburb of Arnold with Victorian and inter-war houses, and these have features that suit ants: lime mortar, small gaps around old pipes, suspended timber floors and cavity walls. A nest may be in the garden by the back wall, under a paving slab, or in the void beneath the kitchen floor. In warm spells, ants may also nest in the insulation of a flat roof or behind kitchen units.
Clear all sugary and greasy residue: wipe worktops, clean the hob, rinse jam jars and take out the bin often. Store sugar, honey and cereal in airtight containers, and wash pet bowls after each meal. This cuts the reward that keeps the scent trail strong. Wipe the trail itself with soapy water, which breaks the scent path.
Resist the urge to spray the line, because it removes only the visible ants and can split the colony into several parts, each making its own route. The goal is to affect the nest, and slow-acting bait is the usual method since workers carry it home.
Check pet feeding areas as well. Dry pet food left in a bowl all day is as attractive to ants as sugar, and a ring of water around the bowl or a quick clean after each meal removes the draw.
If the line comes through a socket, tile edge or crack in plaster, resist poking at it. Disturbed ants scatter, and the route can become harder to follow.
If ants keep appearing after a few weeks of good housekeeping, or they emerge through the floor or walls, the nest is probably out of reach. A professional can identify the species, treat the nest or entry points and advise on blocking the route. How long this takes depends on the species and where the nest is.
A few species, such as pharaoh ants, favour warm indoor spaces and are harder to deal with, so identification matters.
We will trace the trail and deal with the cause. You get free advice with all treatments and no call-out charge. Call 0115 937 5117.
Warm weather makes colonies more active, and dry spells send foragers indoors for water and food. Winged ants also leave nests in warm conditions, which is when many people first notice a problem.
Bait should be placed where children, pets and food cannot reach it, such as along skirting or behind units. A technician will place it sensibly, and you should follow any instructions you are given.
Tell us what you have seen and where, and we will come back to you. Prices are fixed and there is no call-out charge.
