Customized Ants Control Services on Vancouver Island
The Pest Doctor is proud to have been providing ants control services on Vancouver Island for over 25 years. Our fully-trained pest control technicians have the experience and expertise to deal with ant infestations the correct way to get the best results. Our comprehensive pest control plans are industry-leading in approach and implementation to take care of your pest problems in Nanaimo, Parksville, Duncan, Ladysmith, Coombs, Bowsher, and all areas in between.
When you call The Pest Doctor about your ant problems, you will speak with a real person who will then collect your information and set up a meeting with our licensed pest control experts. We provide free estimates! Please note when we visit your home, we will show up in an unmarked vehicle.
Ant Infestation: What You Need to Know
Ants are common structural pests in British Columbia. The importance of different species varies with their geographical location in the province. They enter houses looking for food.
Ant species differ in the number of queens per colony, how and what time of year the colony reproduces, and the type of food they prefer at different times of the year. At certain times of the year, winged males and winged females leave the colony to mate. The mated females, or queens, then establish new colonies.
Before Treatment
If the treatment includes an inside application then:
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Plan to be away for at least 6 to 8 hours after application. This includes most pets. Fish tanks should be covered and the filter turned off. Plants are ok.
a. Small children of age 2 years and under, people with respiratory problems, and pregnant women should be out overnight according to the BC Ministry guidelines. Apply these same guidelines to special-needs pets.
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Turn off floor-bound computers.
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The technician would appreciate clear access to the following areas:
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Plumbing under sinks;
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Crawlspace;
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Without moving any furniture, clear a 6-inch wide area along all inside walls of boxes, toys, magazines, shoes, clothing, etc.;
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Outside perimeter walls. Cut back overgrown grass and weeds. Prune all trees and shrubs that touch the house. Store firewood well away from the house. These habits not only discourage insects but rodents as well.
Application
Our treatment sprays a residual and contact product along inside walls and outside perimeter walls, cracks and crevices.
After Treatment
Wash counters and stove tops. Do not clean or vacuum treated areas, i.e. 10 cm from the base of walls, inside for at least 30 days following the treatment, longer if ants are still being seen inside. The product will work for up to a year or longer when undisturbed. Do not wash the outside structure or allow sprinklers to reach it.
What to expect
You may see ants for up to 2 weeks while evacuating the nest(s). This will vary based on the infestation, the number of colonies and the stored food supply. Give us a call after this period if you see anything unusual.
Carpenter Ant Infestation: What You Need to Know
Carpenter ants have 3-segment all black bodies or with a red middle. Each colony may contain up to 5,000 ants or more and is likely made up of a queen (2cm), winged reproductives (1.5cm) and workers (1 to 1.5cm). Although they chew through wood, leaving sawdust-like particles, they do not eat wood.
When carpenter ants are observed, don't spray them. The extent and potential damage depend on how many nests are present and how long the infestation has been active. Major and minor workers are the most commonly seen carpenter ants travelling as far as 100 yards from the nest to forage for food. Both are often mistaken for other non-destructive species since they are much smaller than the more commonly known large-winged females that take flight in the spring.
Carpenter ant colonies can be established outdoors or inside a home preferably in moisture-prone areas such as around window sills, bay windows, sink areas, and dishwashers.
Before Treatment
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Plan to be away for at least 6 to 8 hours after application. This includes most pets. Fish tanks should be covered and the filter turned off. Plants are ok.
a. Small children of age 2 years and under, pregnant women, and people with respiratory or cardiac problems should be out overnight according to BC Ministry guidelines. Apply these same guidelines to special-needs pets.
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Turn off floor-bound computers, i.e. towers.
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Please provide access to the following areas (including garages and storage areas):
Attics, crawlspaces, and under decks;
Empty cupboards under sinks that are along outside walls;
Clear a 6-inch wide floor area along the base of outside walls and cabinets;
No need to move furniture or clear out closets completely, just the floor area.
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Cut back vegetation, including tree branches, vines, grass and the like. Remove items leaning against the building.
Application
Our top (attic) to bottom (crawlspace) treatment sprays a residual and/or contact pesticide along inside walls and outside where the frame of the house meets the foundation, as well as cracks and crevices.
After Treatment
Wash counters and stovetop. Do not clean or vacuum treated areas inside, as noted above, for at least 30 days following the treatment, longer if healthy ants are still being seen inside. Sweeping is OK. Do not wash the outside structure or allow sprinklers to reach it for the season. Regularly check that no items ever connect the structure to its surroundings, including the ground. Look for vegetation, tools, hoses, firewood and debris.
What to Expect
You may see the ants evacuating for 6 weeks or more. This varies on the degree of infestation and the colonies’ stored food supply. Give us a call after this period if you see any healthy ants inside.
Entryways for ants
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Fence joined to the house
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Plumbing outlets
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The lower edge of the siding
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Edges of fireplace bricks
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Crawlspace vents
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Gutters
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Window casings
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Doorframes
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Vegetation-touching house
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Overhead wires
Possible Sites of Main Nests
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Wood in contact with soil
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Woodpiles
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Decaying tree roots
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The heartwood of live trees
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Rotting stump
Gourmet Liquid Ant Bait
Gourmet Liquid Ant Bait controls ants indoors and outdoors, in or near homes. Gourmet Liquid Ant Bait incorporates borax in special food bait which is highly attractive to ants. Ants pick up the bait and take it to their nests to feed the colony. The borax works slowly to kill all of the ants in the colony, usually in about 7 days.
Directions
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Indoors: Place traps 1.5-3.0 metres apart where ants are numerous. Use sufficient traps for quick control. Replace traps as needed.
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Outdoors: Place traps near where ants enter the dwellings, and near ant hills in lawns or gardens. Space the traps 5 meters apart.
To activate Gourmet Liquid Ant Bait, place the station on a flat surface with the cone facing up. If the cone is filled with liquid bait, move the station from side to side rapidly and liquid will leave the cone. With a knife or scissors, cut the top of the cone, so that the top of the remaining cone is level with the top of the surrounding circular surface.
PRECAUTIONS: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS. Avoid contamination of water, foodstuffs and utensils. Wash after use.
First Aid
If SWALLOWED: Call the poison control centre of the doctor IMMEDIATELY for treatment advice. Have the person sip a glass of water if able to swallow. Do not induce vomiting unless told to do so by a poison control centre or doctor. Do not give anything by mouth to an unconscious person.
Take the container label or product name and PEST CONTROL REGISTRATION NUMBER with you when seeking medical attention.
TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION: Treat symptomatically.
DISPOSAL: Do not reuse empty containers and discard them in household garbage.
PCP Number: 28468
