Ants

Common Ants Habitat and Behaviour

Ants are the most common pests that could be found in and around homes, which could cause a nuisance to many residents. Ants usually nest outdoors. However, the common household ants are known to have nested indoors between cracks and crevices as well as under flowerpots when the condition is found favorable to them. 

• Kerengga or Weaver Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina)

• Rambutan or Fruit Ant (Dolichoderus thoracicus)

• Ghost or Sugar Ant (Tapinoma melanocephalum, Tapinoma indicum)

• Pharoah Ant (Monomorium pharaonis)

• Singapore Ant (Monomorium destructor)

• Big-headed Ant (Pheidole spp.)

• Crazy Ant (Paratrechina longicornis)

• Fire Ant (Solenopsis spp.)

• Garden Ant (Pheidologeton spp.)

What should I do if I see ants running in my kitchen?

Unless you could identify the ant nests which are likely to be inside the cracks and crevices on wall tiles or floors, it is not advisable to destroy the running ants, or ant trails with a can of aerosol insecticide. This is because some indoor pest ants are sensitive to the presence of repellent insecticide e.g. pyrethroids found in the aerosol spray. This may cause the ant colonies to bud and reproduce even more ants and worsen the infestation. ‘Budding’ is a unique reproduction process of some pest ants by having one or several mated ant queens with a group of worker ants carrying the brood leaving the original colony to form new nests. It is advisable for you to seek professional advice and engage a reliable Pest Management Company to thoroughly inspect your premise to manage the pest and problem.

I saw a small swarm of insects flying into my house at night and attracted to the fluorescent lights. What should I do?

They are likely to be termite “alates” or the reproductive forms of termites. They swarm to form new colonies. Depending on species and weather conditions, subterranean termites usually swarm in the early evening – when it is cooler & often right after rain. They are easily attracted by lights and can be seen hovering around street lighting along the roadside. They could also be attracted to light sources at home and enter the premises quickly. If you encounter such a situation at home, you could quickly destroy them with aerosol insecticide spray. However, if you are living on landed property and do not have any pest management contract, it is advisable to engage a reliable Pest Management Company to conduct a check in your premises to ensure that it is free from subterranean termite infestation.

Can you tell the difference between flying ants and termites?

Termite alates look a lot like ants' reproductive. In fact, homeowners often mistake flying ants for termite swarmers and become alarmed. But look closely and you’ll see several differences.

Damage

Ants can become a serious pest when they infest or invade our living space; when present in large numbers, they can become a nuisance and some ant species may pose health hazards as well. As a vector of disease, they have caused a great concern in hospitals, healthcare facilities and food manufacturing plants.