Alert as pest infestations soar by 69%

PEST control experts have revealed Dublin is the most ant-infested county in Ireland.

Rentokil added 29% of call-outs for the insects last month were in the capital.

Kerry had the second biggest invasion with 25% of alerts while Cork had 10%.

Rentokil added for the first four months the number of call-outs has risen by 69% compared to the same period last year. Technical manager Dr Colm Moore added: “As the majority of ant species prefer sunny climates, Ireland would traditionally not be a suitable environment for ants.

“However, the few species found here can be a nuisance once they relocate in or around your home.

“Garden or Black Garden ants aren’t thought to carry diseases, however, the trouble is they’ve been foraging outside, so you wouldn’t want them marching through your kitchen.

“The majority come into your home to forage for food.’’

The recent wet weather has given ants a perfect environment in which to seek shelter and it only takes them a day to relocate their colony indoors. The rest of the top 10 counties for alerts included Kildare (7%), Galway (5%), Tipperary (4%), Wicklow (4%), Waterford (4%), Westmeath (3%) and Roscommon (3%). Rentokil advised people to store away food, clear up crumbs and seal off cracks around windows and doors to avoid infestations.