More ants on the march

ANTS are on the march in Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast with reports the pesky critters have been infiltrating homes and gardens.

Sudden changes in weather patterns and the beginning of the spring breeding season are likely causes for the recent surge.

Shane Miller, from GBS Pest Control, said ants were one of nature’s great insect barometers.

“Sudden changes in weather patterns be it heat, cold, wind or rain tends to affect their behaviour both indoors and outdoors,” he said.

“It generally happens before we have a significant weather event like a bit of sunshine or a bit of rain.

“I have been getting a few calls — maybe two or three a week — but it’s not over the top and not as many as I do in summer. Come spring they will get out and about but at the moment it’s just weather events that are making them a little more known.”

Mr Miller said people will often find ants in bathrooms due to the high moisture content.

“People get alarmed but generally they will be nesting in your wall cavities or something like that rather than going out into the cold,” he said.

“Instead, they are chasing their water in and around bathrooms so they get moisture and warmth inside.”

Mr Miller said people should seek professional advice rather than try and treat the ant problem themselves. “Instead of running around squirting stuff here, there and everywhere, if they’re in wall cavities there’s obviously special ways of treating them,” he said.

“Most of the baits and chemicals we can get on the market are better than anything you can get yourself.

“It can be a fairly easy fix depending on how bad the problem is. Sometimes you can get away with just baiting alone but ants are always going to be there.”