Identification
There are 41 different species of ant living in the UK. The one that causes most problems for people is the garden or black ant (Lasius Niger), which is 3.5 to 5mm long and dark brown to black in colour.
Black ants usually nest outdoors in lawns, flower beds under paving stones and in walls. Although they are not a health hazard, they can be a nuisance, as they can find their way into homes in large numbers. They enter homes in search of sweet foods, getting in through small gaps in masonry, doors and windows.
Ants are not just pests, they feed off insects and act as scavengers in the garden.
Life Cycle.
The queen ant lays eggs in late spring that hatch into larvae after 3-4 weeks. She rears the larvae for three weeks, after which they pupate. From the pupae emerge the first brood of worker ants that forage for food and tend subsequent broods. Winged male and female ants emerge between July and August and mating takes place on the wing during this time, after which the males die. The mated females shed their wings and dig a cell in the soil where they stay until the following Spring.
Can I get them treated?
The Council’s Pest Control Officer can advise on treatment methods.
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