Although there are several species of ants, which can be found in SA, the most common pest species are;

Black or Garden ant – Lasius niger
Roger’s ant – Hypoponera punctatissima
Pharaoh’s ant – Monomorium pharaonis

While different ant species have varying characteristics, the commonalities are that all ants forage from their nests looking for food and water. Nesting locations can vary, but are mostly found outdoors, either below the soil, in cervices and drains. Ants prefer a hotter and humid environment. Ants leave behind trails of pheromones to lead them back to the nest, disturbing these trails and killing the foraging ants will not solve the problem. The nest needs to be treated or the foraging ants need to take the chemicals back to the nest.

Ant management is not a once off treatment and should be maintained to ensure a successful outcome as there can be hundreds of thousands of ants.