Why Use Bug Busters Ant Control Services?
Our pest control experts provide a range of highly effective ant treatments to eradicate any ant colonies that march upon your property.
We typically suggest either a barrier treatment, baiting, or—if accessible—a treatment direct to the ant nest. Sometimes, the treatment plan will combine two or more of these solutions.
Bug Busters' barrier treatments prevent ants from accessing their food and water source. Because coastal brown ants favour outdoor nesting sites, a perimeter treatment is often all that's needed. However, the most successful treatment method also involves targeting the nest with an appropriate insecticide.
For our baiting solutions, we place a pesticide (disguised as either a protein or sugary bait) near trails to and from the nest. The bait is brought back to the nest by worker ants, where it's distributed to the queen, the larvae, and other worker and soldier ants. Usually, the whole colony will die within a few days. Still, if satellite colonies have made nests in separate locations, the chemical could take longer, as workers have to carry the bait back to those other locations.
If you have an ant problem and want to eradicate the whole army—call in the cavalry with Bug Busters!
Why It’s Necessary To Hire An Ant Exterminator?
Ants can be hard to treat yourself, with many home remedies only offering a short-term solution. In many cases, they are ineffective in eradicating whole colonies (especially if the ants have built satellite nests).
Hiring a professional pest control, like our expert team here at Bug Busters, not only eliminates the existing problem but will use specific treatments to prevent a future infestation too.
Our pest control technicians are experienced in dealing with all species of ants that invade our homes here in Western Australia, offering our customers an effective, long term, cost-effective solution.
Tips To Prevent A Future Ant Infestation
Moisture and poor sanitation are the primary causes of ant infestations. You can do your best to keep ants out of the house by:
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Keeping things clean. Store food (including pet food) in airtight containers and remove food particles from your kitchen surfaces, sinks, cupboards, deck, and patio.
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Reducing moisture by fixing any leaks, mould, or dampness and clearing gutters and drains.
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Sealing up any holes, cracks, and gaps in your home's exterior (inc., where wires, conduit, or pipes enter the house).
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Moving mulch and landscape timbers at least 2 feet from the foundation. Keep ground-cover plants thinned out if possible, or remove them entirely.
The Bug Busters Difference
Areas We Service
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Bunbury
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Busselton
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Claremont
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Cottesloe
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Ellenbrook
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Joondalup
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North Perth
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Redcliffe
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Rockingham
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Scarborough
What are the signs of an ant infestation?
Ants are social insects that live in large groups, and when they infest your home, you may notice some common signs. Here are some signs of an ant infestation:
Ants: Seeing ants crawling around your home is one of the most obvious signs of an infestation. Ants may appear in a trail, indicating they are following a scent to a food source.
Ant nests: Some species of ants build nests indoors, and you may notice these nests in dark, secluded areas of your home such as behind walls, in crawl spaces, or in attics.
Ant trails: Ants leave behind pheromone trails that other ants can follow to food sources. You may notice lines of ants travelling in and out of your home or a particular area.
Wood shavings: Carpenter ants tunnel into wood, creating smooth holes and piles of wood shavings or sawdust nearby.
Bites: Some species of ants, such as fire ants, can bite and sting humans, leaving painful welts.
Rustling sounds: Large ant colonies may produce rustling sounds as the ants move around in their nest.
If you notice any of these signs of an ant infestation, it's essential to take action to prevent the colony from growing and causing further damage.
Ant Species We Treat In Western Australia
Argentine ants
Sometimes called garden ants, Argentine ants are ordinary-looking, small brown ants that move slowly in well-defined trails. While Argentine ants don't possess a sting, they will readily bite (although it isn't too painful) and are most active between January and June, coming indoors in large numbers in their search for food and moisture.
Coastal brown ants
The coastal brown ant nests mainly in soil, along pathways, in gardens, against walls, and under houses. While they prefer both sweet and fatty foods, the adults cannot ingest solid food and will instead consume liquids pressed from food material. Coastal brown ants can be vectors of salmonella and E. Coli.
Black ants
An active insect, black ants nest outdoors, in ceilings, and under paving. Foraging worker ants will travel widely in search of food, following well-defined trails and clustering around the food source. Black ants are not only an unpleasant sight but can also contaminate food (although they can be a beneficial predator of other insects).
White-footed house ants
Distinguished by the pale colouration of their feet and antennae, white-footed house ants nest in lumber, firewood, heavy vegetation, wall voids, or in potted plants. They often create satellite nests and exchange colonies for workers, reproduction, and food. Strongly attracted to sweet food, white-footed house ants will also eat dead insects or other protein sources.
Carpenter ants
Taking their name from their nest building (where they form smooth tunnels inside wood), unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat timber; they chew through it to build nests. Their colonies often contain over 50,000 ants, with 20,000 being workers and only one functional, wingless queen.
Fire ants
Recently declared a pest in Western Australia, fire ants can form 'super colonies' with multiple queens and can spread rapidly. A serious threat to our local ecosystem, fire ants are omnivorous and prey on invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. Because of their destructive nature, contact pest control immediately if you spot fire ants on your property.
Bull ants
Also known as bulldog ants, jumper ants, and wingless wasps, bull ants are a large and aggressive but ingenious ant species. These social insects communicate by touch and smell, something that isn’t seen in any other ant species in the world, and, if disturbed, will attack the intruder in large numbers.
Ghost ants
Named after their pale abdomen, ghost ants can be found indoors and outdoors, preferring moist, damp areas like kitchens and bathrooms. Ghost ant colonies breed continuously and can occupy many different nesting sites, making them challenging to eradicate—especially when you factor in their diminutive size.
Pavement ants
Taking their name from their habit of making nests in or under pavements, these ants are most likely found in ground-level masonry, but they also nest in walls, insulation, and under floors. While they don’t pose a health risk, they will eat almost anything and are attracted to unsecured food.
Our Ant Control Procedure
Step 1: Use our booking page or call us to let us know where you're having ant issues.
Step 2: Our ant pest control technicians will visit your property using our dedicated iPhone app to review notes before discussing the issue with you in more detail.
Step 3: For widespread problems, we spray 50L-100L of Fipronil (a liquid chemical) to all external areas, including the front and back of the house, lawns, and any concrete or paved areas.
Note: Our technicians can apply Fipronil-based granules externally and spot treats any obvious ant trails or nests for more sensitive sites.
Step 4. We use a combination of Fipronil-based granules and either protein or sugary gel baits (which are palatable to different types of ants) for internal ant issues.
Generally, internal ant issues are caused by the black house ant, which is a sugar feeder—however, we always watch which bait the ants prefer to take (they will take it immediately if they like it). You can even watch the ants pick up the small granular bait and take it away!