Ant control in your home

What a professional does

The first job is to name the ant. Most UK ant problems are black garden ants, which nest outdoors and forage indoors. The other species to know is the pharaoh ant, which nests only inside heated buildings and needs urgent professional help. Our identification guide shows how to tell them apart.

The technician looks for the trail, the entry points and, if possible, the nest. They then apply residual insecticide spray at entry points and place gel bait. Workers carry the bait back to the queen, so the colony fails from within, usually within one to two weeks.

One visit or two

Most garden-ant jobs need one to two visits. A second visit checks that the bait has been taken and that the trail has stopped. Pharaoh ants take longer and may need monitoring, because sprays make the colony split into several new colonies throughout the building.

Ask the firm how many visits the price covers, and whether a free return is included if ants reappear within a set period. The guides we checked do not state a standard guarantee, so ask for one in writing.

How to prepare

A little preparation helps the technician. Before the visit:

• do not spray or wipe the ant trails, because the technician needs to see them
• keep food sealed, and wipe up sweet spills and crumbs
• point out where you see trails and where ants come in
• fix leaks and note any gaps around pipes, doors and windows

Afterwards, leave the bait in place and do not wash it away. Our cost guide lists what a visit includes.

When to call a professional

Bait stations are the most effective DIY approach and clear most garden-ant problems in one to two weeks. Our DIY guide shows how to place them.

Call a professional if you think you have pharaoh ants, if trails continue after two to three weeks, or if you find multiple colonies. Do not spray pharaoh ants yourself, because it makes the problem worse.

What it does not include

A treatment deals with the ants and the entry points. It does not usually include repairs, so cracks in brickwork, damp problems and gaps in door frames stay your responsibility, or your landlord's. If ants return, ask the firm whether a return visit is free and what period it covers.

Seal entry points early

Ants appear from spring, and sealing entry points is best done in early spring before colonies become active. Fill gaps around pipes, door frames and windows, and fix damp areas that draw them in. A technician can point out the gaps they find. Sealing is often charged separately from treatment.

Flying ants are not a separate pest

Flying ants are not a different species. They are the reproductive males and young queens of ordinary ants, taking their nuptial flight, usually on a warm, humid day in July or August. They are a nuisance, not a separate pest. If they come out of a wall, floor or the inside of the home repeatedly, a nest may be inside the building. That is worth a technician's visit.

Renting: who is responsible

Exposure to pests is part of the housing hazard now called "Domestic hygiene" in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, updated by SI 2026/571. Occasional garden ants are not a housing hazard. Pharaoh ants in a block are a shared-structure problem, usually for the landlord or managing agent.

No licence or species protection applies to ants. The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 covers rats and mice only, not ants. From 30 November 2026, phase 2 of Awaab's Law adds domestic hygiene for social landlords in England.

Choosing a firm

No licence is needed to trade as a pest controller. BPCA and NPTA are trade associations with audits and codes of practice, not licences. Check a firm on the BPCA finder or the NPTA site. BASIS PROMPT and RSPH Level 2 show an individual technician's training.

For commercial kitchens, hospitals and food sites, pharaoh ants are a specialist job, so ask about monitoring and prior experience.

Does the council treat ants?

Some councils treat ants, but not flying ants, so check what your council covers before you book. Hounslow treats garden and pharaoh ants. Solihull treats ants within its insect charges but not flying ants. See our council pest control page for what yours offers.

Ants in the house

A line of ants indoors is usually black garden ants foraging from a nest outside, drawn to sweet food and water. Trace the trail to see where they come in. Do not wipe it away before you find the entry point.

Seal food, clear crumbs and place bait stations along the trail. Most garden-ant problems clear in one to two weeks. If the ants are tiny, pale and keep returning in warm rooms, they may be pharaoh ants, which nest inside heated buildings. Do not spray them. Call a pest controller, who can bait the colony without splitting it.

Ants in the kitchen

Kitchens give ants sugar, crumbs and water. Black garden ants usually enter through a gap near a door, window or pipe and follow a trail to the food. Keep sweet items sealed, wipe the worktops and fix drips.

Put bait stations on the trail, not the food areas, and keep them out of reach of children and pets. Leave them alone for a week or two, because workers need to carry the bait to the nest. If the trail continues after two to three weeks, call a professional. In a food business, call one at once.

Ants in the garden

Black garden ants nest outdoors in lawns, patios and under paving, and a colony can reach about 15,000 workers. Ants in the garden are a nuisance but not a risk to the house. They only need attention if they keep coming indoors.

Find the nest under paving and place bait near the entrance. Seal gaps where ants cross from the garden into the house, ideally in early spring. If a nest sits close to the house, or you find several, a pest controller can treat the nest and the entry points together.

Ants in the bathroom

Ants in a bathroom are usually following moisture or a pipe route from outside. Check around waste pipes, window frames and floor edges for gaps. Winged ants in the bathroom in July or August are most likely flying ants leaving a nest.

Fix leaks, dry the room and seal pipe gaps. If tiny ants keep appearing in a bathroom, check whether a neighbouring flat has the same problem, because pharaoh ants can spread through a shared building. Do not spray them. A technician can confirm the species and bait the colony.

Ants in the wall

Ants coming out of a wall, especially flying ants, can mean a nest inside the cavity or beneath the floor. Look for a steady stream rather than a few strays. Winged ants seen once on a warm July or August day are less worrying.

Do not spray into the wall, which can scatter the colony. Mark where they emerge and seal outside gaps once the ants are gone. If a trail or flying ants keep returning from the same spot, call a pest controller to find the nest. In a block of flats, tell the landlord or managing agent.