Ants in Your Building?

  • 12th June 2025
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From kitchens to offices to stockrooms, ant infestations often strike homes and businesses across the country at this time of year. They're drawn to warmth, moisture, and easy access to food.

What’s Attracting Ants to Your Property?

Ants don’t show up by accident. They’re highly organised foragers looking for three main things: food, water, and shelter.

Leftovers, crumbs, and sugary spills will attract ants fast. But even dry goods like rice, cereals, or pet food are attractive for worker ants. If it’s accessible and edible, you can almost guarantee ants will find it.

Pet bowls with food left out overnight are a common magnet. So are bins without tight-fitting lids.

Leaks under sinks, dripping pipes, and damp wood create ideal conditions for nesting sites. Ants favour warm, quiet spaces. Bathrooms, basements, and underfloor cavities are prime real estate for a growing colony.

Cracks in brickwork, gaps around pipes, loose window frames offer a range of pests access to the inside. And ants can exploit the tiniest gap. If one scout finds a way in, an ant trail soon follows.

Worker ants are constantly foraging, and when one discovers a food source, it lays down a pheromone trail back to the nest.

This chemical trail “calls” other ants, guiding them straight to the source. Each ant that follows reinforces the scent, turning a single scout into a full ant infestation.

So, even clean homes can be invaded if ants find easy entry points and favourable conditions inside.

Identifying the Ant Species

Not all ants beg=have the same way. And knowing which type you're dealing with helps you treat the problem more effectively. Here are the most common ants in the UK:

Black Garden Ant (Lasius niger)

By far the most common type found in UK homes. These ants are harmless but persistent. You’ll usually see long ant trails leading to a food source. Their nests often show up as small piles of soil near patios or paving.

During summer, black garden ants produce a flying ant stage, when winged males and queen ants leave the nest to mate. It’s a short-lived but dramatic swarm.

Pharaoh Ants

Very small and light yellow-brown in colour, these ants thrive in warm indoor environments. They're often found in hospitals, blocks of flats, and commercial kitchens. Because of their nesting habits, they’re harder to eliminate and often require professional pest control.

Carpenter Ants

Less common but far more damaging, carpenter ants tunnel through damp wood to build their nests. Over time, this can compromise structural timber. Spotting sawdust-like material near skirting boards or behind walls is a red flag.

Signs of an Ant Infestation

If you think you have a problem, you can check by looking for these main signs:

  • Persistent ant trails, especially to or from food
  • Small piles of soil near cracks or paving
  • A sudden appearance of flying ants indoors
  • Scratching sounds in walls (for carpenter ants)
  • Finding ant nests in plant pots, wall cavities, or under flooring

What About Ants Outside the Property?

You might spot ants marching across the patio, forming small piles of soil along pathways, or clustering near doorsteps. While this might seem harmless, outdoor ant activity is often the first sign of a larger issue brewing.

Outdoor Ants Can Become Indoor Pests

Ants don’t stay outside if they don’t have to. If they find entry points, such as gaps in brickwork or loose seals around doors and windows, they’ll happily come inside. Outdoor colonies send worker ants out in all directions. And if they discover sources of food they’ll lay down an ant trail straight to the nest.

Once that trail is established, your home or business becomes part of their daily route.

Identifying Outdoor Nesting Sites

Look for disturbed soil, cracked paving, or ant activity near compost bins and garden walls. Black garden ants in particular love to nest under slabs, in lawns, and along the edges of flower beds.

You may also find ant nests forming in dry, sheltered corners of sheds, garages, or outbuildings. During summer, be alert for flying ants. It’s when new queen ants take flight to start new colonies, often very close to the original one.

Outdoor Ant Prevention Tips

  • Keep food waste sealed and bins closed
  • Remove fallen fruit and sugary debris
  • Sweep patios regularly
  • Seal external cracks and gaps in walls
  • Avoid stacking wood or bricks near walls – they can become perfect nesting sites

You can try natural deterrents like citrus peel or boiling water on outdoor nests. But with boiling water, use caution. As well as the obvious risk of scolds, boiling water can kill vegetation and will likely only kill surface ants.

Who’s Responsible?

If the property is rental, then responsibility depends on the cause of the infestation.

Landlord Responsibilities

If ants are caused by structural issues – like cracks in the wall, gaps around pipes, or a leaky roof – or if they were present before the tenant moved in, the responsibility for fixing and preventing the problem lies with the landlord. Under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), landlords must keep the property free of pests.

Tenant Responsibilities

If the infestation is down to poor hygiene, like unclean surfaces, uncovered bins, or food left out, tenants will be expected to address the problem themselves. Keeping areas clean is not just good practice, it's part of your duty under a tenancy agreement.

Grey Areas

Sometimes the cause isn’t clear-cut. In these cases, documentation is important. Tenants should report pest issues in writing. Landlords should respond quickly and arrange for a professional pest controller to determine the cause.

Commercial Spaces

If you run a business, especially in food service, ant infestations can quickly escalate from nuisance to crisis.

Health and Safety

Worker ants crawling over prep surfaces can contaminate food. That’s a breach of health regulations. It could lead to warnings, fines, or even closure.

Reputational Risk

Customers finding ants in a café, bakery, or restaurant won't just walk out – they’ll likely leave a review too. Word spreads fast online.

Business Responsibility

Business owners are legally responsible for maintaining hygiene and preventing pest access. The best solution is to call a professional who can help with sealing entry points, using proper waste management, and organising routine inspections.

Getting Rid of Ants: What Works and What Doesn’t

Dealing with an infestation requires a combination of short-term control and long-term prevention.

Natural Deterrents

For mild infestations, natural deterrents like vinegar, lemon juice, or cinnamon may disrupt ant trails. But these won't destroy the nest.

DIY Baits and Sprays

Supermarket ant killers can reduce numbers temporarily. Gel baits work by letting worker ants carry poison back to the nest. However, effectiveness depends on the species and size of the colony. They can often be a temporary fix.

Pest Control Services

If you’ve tried home remedies and still see signs of ants, it’s time to call in the professionals. Pest control experts can identify the exact species, locate hidden nesting sites, and apply targeted treatments. In commercial or multi-unit buildings, this is often the only real solution.

Prevention Tips: Stop Ants Before They Start

Want to keep ants out for good?

  • Store food in sealed containers
  • Sweep up crumbs and clean surfaces daily
  • Don’t leave pet food out overnight
  • Rinse recycling and empty bins often
  • Fix leaks and reduce moisture indoors
  • Seal cracks and entry points around your building
  • Trim plants and shrubs near walls to avoid bridging access

If you’re a landlord or business owner, consider a regular pest control contract. It’s often cheaper and more effective than dealing with a full infestation later.

Final Thoughts

Ants are clever, persistent and can mobilise quickly. Whether you’re finding ants in the house, in a rental flat, or across a commercial kitchen, the steps are the same: identify what’s attracting them, figure out which ant species you’re dealing with, and take action to remove the colony before blocking future access.

And if things are already out of hand? Don’t wait. Call for professional pest control.

If you have discovered ants or think you have a problem, call Able’s professional pest controllers on 0330 108 4111.

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