It seems as if it’s not just us humans that are enjoying the hot weather - ants are loving it too. The metabolic rate of ants increases during the summer, causing a spike in their activity.
And with the insects on the move, people are reporting a rise in infestations in their properties. Now summer has arrived, pest controllers have revealed the best way to get rid of the bugs.
Jonathan Nicholls, an expert in pest control, says the insects are attracted to any space where there's food and they're more likely to invade in the warmer months as people eat outdoors and leave doors and windows open. Ripe fruits are also a magnet for the creepy crawlies, he added, so it is a good idea to keep those in the fridge or well-covered.
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Jonathan told MailOnline that the metabolic rate of ants increases during the summer, causing a spike in their activity. He added: "The heightened activity of ants in the summer months can increase the likelihood that ants may enter your home during these months. The peak breeding season for ants is during the summer.
"During this time, they require more resources and the worker ants will go out to find food sources. This can result in an increased presence of ants in your garden or in your home." Cleaning up any sources of food scents will stop the insects heading inside, this could be a stray piece of dirty cutlery that's been dipped in a jam jar or pieces of fruit left on a counter, reports The Mirror.
Black garden ants - the most common type to invade homes - are particularly attracted to pheromones given off by sweet foods. Ants usually come indoors through gaps beneath doors - or any other unsealed cracks such as plumbing entry points - as they follow scent trails.
Sealing these, Jonathan said, was the best way to prevent them invading your homes. It's also important to know ants never break their trails, and you can always follow them to find their food source, or where they are coming from.
Once the source of the pheromones has been found, you'll need to destroy the trail properly as sweeping them away is not enough. Jonathan added: "You can do this by mixing one part vinegar with three parts water and simply spray this mixture in any space where you’ve seen the ants.
"It is quite easy to naturally repel the ants from your home. Ants hate the scent of lavender and peppermint.
"Mix together a solution of either lavender oil or peppermint oil with water and spray this mixture on any entry points such as around windows and doors." Other natural remedies which repel the insects include citrusy fruits such as lemon, lime, and grapefruit, as well as the scent of cinnamon, eucalyptus, and garlic.
Peppermint, cinnamon and citrus oils can be toxic to dogs and cats, however, so pet owners should keep their animals in another room while trying this method. It is also vital to empty kitchen bins regularly, keeping them fully covered and making sure no food residue is left inside the bin itself.
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