Flying ants are the scourge of many houses in summertime leaving many people to dread the summer and the annual flying ants invasion which they expect the summer will bring
Only the unluck people who have suffered it will know the true effects of flying ants in their houses.
Having an infestation of basic wingless ants is bad enough but when they go through their yearly mating phase the situation can become unthinkable.
Ants regularly form colonies under the floors and in the wall cavities of our buildings and these colonies will continue for many years to come if left untreated and become progressively more troublesome each year.
Our homes are warm and dry and make the perfect places for a growing ant colony; even solid asphalt floor is not a problem to an ant.
Our central heating systems maintains their metabolism even in the colder months when they are not active outdoors and my earliest ant job was on my birthday, in January!
Ants like a sandy soil and there are lots of areas in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester which produce more ant problems than other areas, Southport, Blackpool, Bolton, Sale & Altrincham come to mind as hot ant locations.
Unfortunately it is when they are in their mating phase that they are most irksome. Here in Lancashire, Cheshire and Manchester this tends to be pretty regularly around the third or fourth week in July.
Ants mate in flight and around mid-summer the colony releases 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 by each and nests tend to synchronise their production so that they mate with ants from neighbouring colonies.
Usually this process starts after a period of days of hot, dry weather and will often last for about a week or so although smaller releases will carry on throughout most of June, July & August.
Unfortunately when the nest is built under the floor of the dwelling the effects can be dreadful, literally thousands of winged ants are released into the lower rooms, aiming for windows as they make for the light.
This can be very distressing for some people leading to extreme emotional distress to the degree that people learn to hate the summertime and have actually sold their house to avoid the plague of ants which they know will inevitably come each summer.
The wet summers of 2007, 2008 & 2009 have meant that ant infestations were down on previous years but ants apparently have a way of catching up and 2010 might be a particularly troublesome year.
Many people who have this problem opt for DIY solutions with potions from DIY stores etc but mostly these efforts do not work as they are not getting to the heart of the matter which is the colony itself, hidden away safely in the cavity wall or under the floor.
Fortunately for many people help.
At Harrier Pest Control and Prevention (subject to satisfactory site) we are able to remedy this problem and give an extendable 3 year guarantee.
The process which is done mainly from the outside of the house, is perfectly safe for animals and children and leaves no smell, involves drilling little holes into the cavity walls of the building, not unlike a damp-course injection and blowing an insecticidal powder into the cavity wall under pressure.
This forms an impenetrable barrier over which the ants cannot cross and along with a precautionary spray of the inside (if deemed necessary) will slowly bring the infestation to its end.
The holes, which are only 8mm in diameter are left open so it is a simple matter of topping up the wall cavities every three years to extend the period of the guarantee in three year periods.
This treatment is best done out in the early spring however it can be done all year round.
As a very limited time offer before our busy period begins we are offering 25 percent off the usual cost until May 30 2010. Whilst we normally cover the whole of Lancashire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester, we are able to travel further afield but this will be at extra cost.
For a chat or to arrange an appointment contact Harrier Pest Control and Prevention on Free Phone 0800 019 8382 or 01257 230637
Ant Pest Control ? Don’t endure ant infestations, call us now!