The Most Frustrating Thing About Ant Control
You’ve bought the spray, you’ve used the traps, the ants disappeared for a week — and now they’re back. It’s one of the most common complaints pest controllers hear, and there’s a clear reason for it: most consumer ant treatments kill the ants you see without affecting the colony.
Why Consumer Treatments Fail
1. They kill foragers, not the queen
The ants you see trailing across your kitchen bench are foragers — worker ants sent out by the colony to find food. Killing them with spray disrupts foraging activity temporarily, but the colony simply sends more workers. As long as the queen is alive and reproducing, the colony continues.
2. Repellent sprays cause colony splitting
Many consumer ant sprays are repellent — they drive ants away from the treated area rather than killing them. This can cause the colony to split into multiple satellite colonies, creating what appears to be multiple separate ant infestations across a larger area of the property.
3. The nest was never found or treated
Without locating the nest, no treatment is permanent. Ant nests in Sydney are commonly found in:
- Under concrete paths and driveways
- In garden beds and lawn areas
- Inside wall cavities
- Under the subfloor
- In potted plants
- Under paving and pavers
4. Conditions attracting ants haven’t changed
If the conditions that drew ants to your home in the first place remain unchanged — food sources, moisture, access points — new ant colonies will continue to move in even after the original colony is eliminated.
What Professional Treatment Does Differently
Professional ant control uses a combination of approaches designed to eliminate the colony, not just the foragers:
- Ant baits: Non-repellent baits that foragers carry back to the nest, sharing with other workers and the queen. The entire colony consumes the bait over several days, resulting in collapse
- Non-repellent residual sprays: Applied to foraging trails and entry points. Ants walk through the treated area without detecting it and carry the active ingredient back to the nest
- Nest location and direct treatment: Where accessible, direct treatment of the nest is the most effective approach
- Perimeter treatment: Creating a treated zone around the exterior of the home to prevent new colonies from entering
How Long Does Professional Ant Treatment Take to Work?
Bait-based treatments work slowly by design — ants need to carry the bait back to the colony. Expect to see continued (or even increased) ant activity for 5–10 days as foragers collect the bait. Full colony elimination typically takes 2–4 weeks.
Preventing Ants From Coming Back
- Store food in sealed containers and clean up spills immediately
- Fix leaking taps and pipes — ants are attracted to moisture
- Seal gaps around windows, doors and pipes
- Keep garden beds and mulch away from the foundation
- Don’t leave pet food bowls out overnight
Pestyologist provides effective, lasting ant control across Sydney. Book a treatment today.