Regina resident Paula Kirk is sharing her front yard with thousands of ants and she’s ready to evict them.
“My entire lawn is full of ants, which is disgusting,” Kirk said. “From that one hill over there, I noticed that there are little places where the ants have come up throughout the entire lawn.”
“It used to be contained and now it’s the entire yard.”
What started as one ant mound five years ago has turned into several little mounds dug up throughout Kirk’s front lawn.
She isn’t the only one dealing with the pests, though. Dozens have turned to social media, complaining about the crawling critters. Black pavement ants are upheaving dirt in gardens, grass and sidewalk cracks across the city.
While many say there seems to be a surge in the ant population, owner of Premier Pest Management Bobbie Enright says these numbers are normal for this time of year.
Enright says once the weather gets warm, the ants leave their underground homes in search of food. The recent rain flooded the ant hills, though, forcing them to find shelter near foundations, siding and window sills.
Calling Ant Control
Enright says she gets 15 to 20 calls a day regarding ant infestations. Most calls are complaining about black pavement ants around the foundations of homes, while some are complaints about ant mounds in the yard.
Enright says there is an easy fix to getting rid of the ants. First, she sprays a pesticide barrier around the foundation. Once it dries, she pours granular along the side. The pesticide and granular can also be used on the mounds.
WATCH: (Sept. 28, 2018) Edmonton woman struggling to cope with ant infestation in her apartment
Ants in your Pants and in your House
Enright says she usually sees an influx in calls around the fall. When the weather cools down, ants start to march indoors where it’s warm. But rain can have a similar effect.
If ants have a food source, they might be tempted to stay, even if that means their new home is inside the walls of a house. Enright says if she gets calls about ants in houses in early spring, it’s usually a sign that the pests have been there for awhile.
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