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The big question is – what happens to termites, ants and flies when the spring rains arrive in South Africa? With the warmer weather fast approaching and the relief of spring rains arriving, some insects become more active; these include flies, ants, fleas and numerous other creepy crawlies. It is best to tackle a problem of this magnitude by calling in pest control exterminators to give advice and to address this problem before it gets out of control. 

Ants belong to the hymenopteran species which live in highly organised nests and belong to a wingless caste. There are in the region of 8800 species of ants found throughout the world and make their home in numerous habitats, except in the freezing Arctic regions and extremely high altitudes. 

The ants that are found in our homes throughout South Africa are referred to as black or red ants and are very different from white ants or termites. They also belong to a different sub-species, and although the lifecycles differ, a similar programme is implemented to control them that will be applied by your pest-control expert company. 

Black ants generally become problematic in homes and if the problem is not tackled correctly, they can and will become more than just a nuisance as they are known to cause damage to paving areas and can cause the soil to collapse. 

In some instances, these colonies, when multiplied in vast numbers, can damage plants and lawns. 

In South Africa, we have two species of ants that are most common; they are Pharaoh ants and the common black ant (The former belongs to the Monomorium Pharaonis species, and the latter to the Lasius Niger species). Of the two species, the Pharaoh ant is the species that could pose the most risk to the health of humans as they are found in unhygienic areas such as garbage and drains and can, in turn, carry harmful pathogens.

DIY methods of getting rid of ants are often unsuccessful – it is advisable to call in pest control experts to eradicate the problem regardless of what time of the year it is.