Ants, while fascinating in their social structure and ecological roles, can become formidable pests when they invade human habitats. These tiny creatures, driven by their instinct to forage and establish colonies, often seek out food and moisture sources within homes and buildings.
Aside from being a nuisance, certain ant species can pose health risks by contaminating food supplies or delivering painful stings. Effective management of ant infestations often requires understanding their nesting habits, eliminating access points, and using targeted treatments to prevent their recurrent intrusion into human spaces.
Ants thrive in a wide range of environments, including forests, deserts, grasslands, and urban areas and are highly adaptable insects. In natural environments, they can be found under rocks, logs, and within the soil, where they build complex underground nests.
In human-inhabited areas, ants often make their way into homes, buildings, and gardens. They are commonly found in kitchens, bathrooms, and areas where food and water are accessible. Ants also build nests in walls, foundations, and even inside appliances, taking advantage of any small crevices or entry points.
Identifying an Ant is quite easy, given that most species are between 1 and 3 millimetres in size, however identifying the exact species can be challenging as their colour, size, body shape and behaviour is different from species to species. Some ant species live in colonies that are supported by a single queen while others are supported by multiple queens. Although there are 1,300 ant species known in Australia, there are relatively few that we commonly see as pests. These include:
Argentine ant
Black house ant
Bull ant
Carpenter ant
Flying ants
Coastal brown ant
Fire ant
Garden ant
Ghost ant
Green ant
Odorous house ant
Pavement ant
Pharaoh’s ant
Singapore ant
Sugar ant
Whitefooted house ant
Argentine ant
Black house ant
Bull ant
Carpenter ant
Flying ants
Coastal brown ant
Fire ant
Garden ant
Ghost ant
Green ant
Odorous house ant
Pavement ant
Pharaoh’s ant
Singapore ant
Sugar ant
Whitefooted house ant
Black House Ant
The black house ant is found in both urban and rural areas across Australia. They are black and shiny measuring between 2 and 3mm in length.
Black house ants usually nest under stones or dry logs and are commonly be found in gardens but it is not uncommon to find nests in roof voids, cavity walls and in cupboards.
Coastal Brown Ant
Coastal brown ants can usually be found in buildings and under paths or in rocky areas. They are 1.5 to 3mm in length and light brown to brown in colour.
Coastal Brown Ants like similar conditions to cockroaches and control methods are very similar. Because of their nesting habits, it is common to find piles of gritty material on the floor around nests.
Fire Ant
Fire ants have a shiny brown-orange colour and are between 2 and 5mm in length. Despite being small, Tropical fire ants are highly aggressive and attack any intruder that disturbs its nest.
Fire ants can inflict painful stings, which can result in red itchy bumps that can last for days, and in some cases can lead to an allergic reaction.
Ants need a food source and are especially attracted to sugar. Keep food stored away when not in use and regularly clean around pet bowls and kitchens.
Check the exterior of your home and seal up any gaps or holes around windows, doors, and pipes. This will not only help keep ants out, but it can also prevent other pests from entering your home.
Home appliances, hot water cupboards and plumbed areas provide perfect conditions for ants to thrive. It is good to check behind appliances and in cupboards regularly for any signs of ant activity and address it quickly.
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Yes! All of the pest control products we use are AEMPA approved and are safe for use in sensitive environments such as homes, schools, hotels and food handling premises.
It is important to note that for services where we are applying a pesticide in spray form, we recommend that children, pregnant people, and pets are off-site or removed from the areas of treatment for the duration of the service and for approximately 2 hours after the service to allow for drying. Our products are all odourless and colourless and once dry.
Whilst our products are approved for use in homes, we recommend that you are not in the home while a treatment is being carried out and for up to 2 hours after to allow the solution to fully dry. Depending on the home and treatment being done, it will take our team 45-90 minutes to complete the service.
It is okay for adults to stay in the home in an area excluded for treatment if it is not convenient to vacate however, children and pets must vacate the home. Your technician will complete a service report on completion with any recommendations and send a copy through before locking up and leaving.
We recommend that you sweep and mop your floors in preparation before our service as pesticides bind better to clean, dry floors and are more effective. You can view our full preparation list here. Ideally, avoid mopping again for as log as possible after a treatment, generally 3-5 days. Spray treatments are applied around the edges and skirting boards of rooms and if you do need to mop, avoiding the edges of the floor will help prolong the treatment’s effect.
As our treatments cover a variety of pests and conditions, your qualified technician will apply a range of pest control products throughout your home during treatment. These products generally consist of a residual spray, gel baits and insecticide dusts.
Your technician will make note of activity levels, the species of pests and areas of concern in your home and make recommendations on the service report at the end for follow up services, proofing and cleaning that will assist in keeping pests away.
Not always. Spider treatments are most effective when they are applied to the web. If the spider is present then the treatment will act quickly, however in some cases, it will take time for the spider to return and to pick up a lethal dose as it interacts with the insecticide. You may see immediate results following a treatment however it is common to see activity for up to 5 days as pests come into contact with insecticides.
We are confident in our ability and the services we offer, and as such, we provide a 60 day pest-free Guarantee on home pest control services.
Warranties are subject to conditions and may not be applicable depending on the condition and housekeeping of a home. Your technician will discuss your warranty eligibility with you on completion of a service and will provide recommendations on proofing and housekeeping steps that need to be taken before a warranty is provided.
We offer our Pest-Free Guarantee to rectify a pest re-infestation in treated areas. It is common to see the occasional pest following a treatment. Please allow at least 2 weeks post-service before you activate your warranty to allow the treatment to have full effect. Additional call out fees may apply to visits not covered by warranties. No external areas are covered by a warranty.
Unit 8, 849 South Dowling Street, Waterloo, NSW 2017
P: 02 9157 5706
E: info@oracleservices.com.au
Unit 8, 849 South Dowling Street
Waterloo, NSW 2017
P: 02 9157 5706
E: info@oracleservices.com.au