Garden Ants (Lasius niger)

Garden ants usually start appearing in late April. They are black in colour and around 5mm in length. Worker-ants forage widely and often cause a nuisance inside premises. They lay chemical trails, leading other worker ants to a food source. This can result in hundreds of ants wandering through kitchens, larders and cupboards looking for food.

Their nests are usually found outdoors, often under paving, in gardens or lawns and around walls. In late summer the winged adults emerge in very large numbers and swarm, usually causing a nuisance to anyone nearby. This is when mating takes place.

Treatment for Garden Ants
Garden ants require insecticidal treatment to destroy their trails. Commercial preparations are far more effective than shop-bought products. Spraying around the perimeter of buildings and on inner walls will control them.