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Post by eurodjuro on Mar 22, 2013 18:38:30 GMT
Hi there, I have this species of ant just recently "moved in" to my home and they are predominantly in the kitchen area and living room. I'm based in the UK and live in London. Are these Pharoah ants or common red ants (are red ants common?). No bigger than 3-5mm in size If anyone can help name the species that would be most appreciated. I've added some photos I took so I hope they are helpful Many thanks in advance.....  Attachments:
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Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 22, 2013 19:02:07 GMT
Hi Eurodjuro and welcome to the Ant Hill. I have seen Monomorium pharaonis in many of the hospitals I worked in, and this ant of yours does not look like it is Pharaohs, as you will see from the photo below. If the workers are bigger than 2mm then it most certainly isn't; but it may not be a native British ant either, it is hard to tell from your pics. Attachments:
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Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 22, 2013 19:08:15 GMT
The fact they have invaded your kitchen suggests they are there for warmth and food. I think they are a young colony of Lasius? Possibly L. niger or a very close relative.  |
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Post by eurodjuro on Mar 22, 2013 19:22:40 GMT
Hi there, Thanks both for your replies. Relieved to hear they are likely not to be Pharoahs so now to decide how to deal with them Cheers  |
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Post by eurodjuro on Mar 22, 2013 19:33:06 GMT
hi anthunter,
Apologies but I thought two replies from different folk, doh! I've found a video on youtube which is a lot lot closer to what they are (Lasius niger):
So no surprise I think you are correct. Now to deal with them without making it worse
Many thanks once again for your help
Eurodjuro
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armyant
Callow Ant 
Posts: 56
Likes: 6
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Post by armyant on Mar 22, 2013 19:43:10 GMT
I think the brown colour is L. niger too, and just call Wood Ant "Wood" as everybody here does. Welcome to the best ant forum as it is from here in England, and the guys are all great here to learn stuff about ants from.  |
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Post by UKantz on Mar 22, 2013 20:17:55 GMT
I had the same ants in my bathroom and kitchen too, I was never sure they were Lasius Niger due to the brownish colour but then in darker light they looked more like the Niger we are used to. That's the only conclusion I could come too. |
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Post by eurodjuro on Mar 22, 2013 21:04:28 GMT
Hello All,
Thanks for all your replies. One last question (I hope!).....how did you deal with them or what is the best way to remove them? unfortunately they are uninvited guests ;-)
Cheers... :-)
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Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 23, 2013 0:29:12 GMT
Hello All, Thanks for all your replies. One last question (I hope!).....how did you deal with them or what is the best way to remove them? unfortunately they are uninvited guests ;-) Cheers... :-) That is something we don't discuss on a forum about keeping ants as pets or for study, so you would need to find your own method for dealing with them if they have become an invasive pest.  |
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Post by Jenny on Mar 23, 2013 7:25:59 GMT
You also need to know where they trail back to, as the nest may be in pipes or somewhere warm. Seeing them around the kitchen and livingroom are the foragers, the nest will be somewhere. We talk about the eco preventative methods of guiding ants where you don't want them to go, but we don't go there when it comes to chemical usage  |
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Post by eurodjuro on Mar 23, 2013 8:12:02 GMT
Hi Jenant, Anthunter,
Appreciate all your replies and knowledge. I'm pretty sure I saw them quite active last summer in my garden (summer? what summer!) and thought nothing of it so I do not have a problem with them at all really. I do not blame them for coming into my home, after all we've had a lot of cold wet weather lately!
Cheers, Eurodjuro.
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Post by Jenny on Mar 23, 2013 8:24:40 GMT
The main thing, is to keep surfaces floors and sticky bottles wiped so they don't detect sweet stuff. We have insectivorous plants, and one summer they climbed up the outside hosepipe into our kitchen window on the 1st floor! But they stopped when they found the plants which give off the sticky dew, that was fine as they were where I wanted them to be, they went back and fro down their trail to the garden. But one forager ventured too far, and found the squash bottles, I knew then she would lay the trail for the rest to follow. So in the groove of the window I sprinkled a heavy layer of perfumed talc, they wouldn't cross it afterwards and went somewhere else |
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Post by bobdol on Mar 23, 2013 11:48:43 GMT
It is definitely Lasius - if they are have noticeably red thorax (middle) then I think its probably Lasius psammophilus. I have come across these ants quite a lot in my area they tend to build small sand nests in grass meadows.
Could also be Lasius emarginatus I think they were introduced to some parts of England but would say much more likely Lasius psammophilus.
They are foraging early as it is chilly in England from what I hear;) Maybe they just want to get out of the cold...
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