Name: Jim's Pest Control
Address: 48 Edinburgh Rd, Mooroolbark, VIC, 3138, AU
Telephone: 131 546
Price range: $$
Rating: 4.9

48 Edinburgh Rd, Mooroolbark 3138, VIC

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Ants appear suddenly because the weather changed or they found food. Warm spring days wake colonies up and make them hungry. Heavy rain floods their nests and pushes them indoors. And once one scout finds a crumb, it leaves a scent trail that brings the rest. It does not mean your house is dirty. Most homes get ants at some point. The good news is that you can usually work out why they came in, and stop them, by looking at a few simple things.

The 5 most common reasons ants show up suddenly

The weather warmed up

Over winter, ant colonies slow down and stay deep in the nest. When spring arrives, the queen starts laying more eggs. More larvae means more mouths to feed, so workers go out looking for food in a hurry. That is why many people see their first ants in October and November.

It rained, or a storm hit

Most ants nest in the ground, under pavers, in garden beds or beside slabs. Heavy rain can flood those nests. The ants look for somewhere dry, and your house is the closest option. If you notice ants a day or two after a storm, this is the most likely cause.

A scout found food

A single ant finds a sugar spill, a pet bowl or an open packet. On the way back to the nest, it leaves a scent trail. Other ants follow the trail, find the food and leave their own scent. Within a few hours, one scout can turn into a line of hundreds.

They found water

In hot weather, ants come inside for moisture as much as for food. Leaking taps, wet sink areas, drain pipes and pot plant saucers all pull them in.

The nest is closer than you think

Some ants nest inside wall cavities, under floors or in the roof void. If you see ants coming out of a skirting board, a power point or a crack in the tiles, there is a good chance the nest is close.

What type of ants do I have?

Knowing the type helps you pick the right fix. These are the ones we see most often in Australian homes:

Ant	What it looks like	Where it nests	What it wants
Sugar ant	Larger, black with orange or brown tones	Soil, trees, timber, wall voids	Sugary food and drinks, often at night
Black house ant	Small, shiny black	Wall cavities, under pavers, in the roof	Sweet food, fruit, pantry items
Coastal brown ant	Small, light brown, with larger soldiers	Under slabs and pavers, in garden soil	Protein, sweets and oils

You can catch one in a clear jar and snap a photo. A photo lets us confirm the type quickly when you call. Coastal brown ants are very common in Queensland and New South Wales, and they leave tiny mounds of soil along tile edges and paving gaps. If you live in either state, our local teams know the species in your area. Find yours on our Queensland or New South Wales.

What attracts ants to my house?

Ants are after three things: food, water and shelter. Look for these first:

Sugar and honey spills, jam jars and sticky bottle bases
Crumbs under the toaster, behind appliances and in the pantry
Dirty dishes left overnight
Pet food and water bowls
Overflowing or open bins
Ripe or fallen fruit on the bench or in the yard
Leaking taps and damp sink areas
Greasy stove tops and oven trays
Garden beds, mulch and pavers touching the house

How to get rid of ants in the kitchen

Here is what works at home, in the order we suggest:

Find the trail. Watch where the ants walk and where they come in. This tells you the entry point and the food they want.
Wipe the trail. Use a vinegar-based cleaner or soapy water to remove the scent trail. Do this a few times a day. Ants are good at re-making a broken trail, so you need to repeat it.
Remove the food. Put sugar, honey, cereal and pet food in sealed containers. Rinse jars and bottles. Take rubbish out each night.
Fix the moisture. Repair leaks, dry the sink and empty pot plant saucers.
Seal the entry. Fill small cracks around windows, doors and skirting boards. Silicone works well for gaps.
Use a bait, not a spray. Ant baits are slow, and that is the point. Worker ants carry the bait back to the nest and share it with the colony. Place the bait on the trail and do not clean it away.

Give it a week or two. If the ants are still there after that, you probably have a nest you cannot reach.

Why spraying makes ants worse

A spray kills the ants it touches. It does not reach the queen or the thousands of workers deep in the nest. Some species also respond to spray by splitting into several smaller colonies. This is called budding, and it is why a problem in one corner can turn into trails in three rooms. Sprays also wipe away the scent trail. That makes it harder for us to follow it back to the nest later. If you must spray, spray the ants you see and leave the baits alone, but for lasting results use bait or call a professional.

Are they flying ants or termites?

If the insects have wings, check them carefully. Flying ants and flying termites look alike from a distance, but termites cause far more damage. Read our guide on how to tell flying ants from termites before you decide what to do. Ants themselves do not eat timber. But if you see mud tubes on walls, hollow-sounding wood or sticking doors along with the ants, book a termite inspection so a technician can check.

When should I call a pest controller?

Call us if any of these apply:

The ants return within a week or two of cleaning
You see ants coming from inside a wall, ceiling or floor
There are trails in several rooms
You have a large, active nest in your garden or along the house
You have small children or pets and want a targeted treatment
You are not sure what type of ant you have

Our ant control service starts with an inspection. We identify the species, trace the trail to the nest and treat it at the source, so the colony is dealt with and not just the ants you can see. Most visits are quick, and we will explain what to do afterwards. For a quote, call 131 546 or send an online request with a photo of the ants or the trail.

How to stop ants coming back

Once the nest is dealt with, a few habits make your home less appealing:

Wipe benches and the stove top every night
Keep food sealed, including pet food
Rinse recycling and use bins with tight lids
Clean up fruit that falls in the garden
Trim shrubs and branches that touch the house
Keep mulch and soil a few centimetres below the wall line
Fix leaking taps, pipes and downpipes
Check around the foundations after heavy rain

A seasonal check each spring is useful if you have had ants before. They are most active from October to March in most states, and all year in the tropical north.

Frequently asked questions

It is usually the weather or a food source. Warm days make colonies active, rain floods their nests, and a single scout can bring a whole trail once it finds food or water.

Rain floods ground nests, so colonies look for dry ground. Houses are warm and dry, and often have food. A few scouts get in, leave a trail, and the rest follow.

Wipe the trail, store food in sealed containers, fix leaks, seal entry points and use bait. If they return in a week or two, call a professional to treat the nest.

Food, water and shelter. Sugar spills, crumbs, pet bowls, rubbish bins, leaking taps and damp areas are the main ones.

Keep surfaces clean, store food in sealed containers, fix moisture problems, seal gaps and keep garden beds clear of the walls. If the nest is still active, treat it at the source.

Most house ants do not bite or sting, and they do not damage timber. They can spread bacteria over food, though, and some species give a painful bite, so it is worth dealing with them early.

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