Insect
Pharaoh Ant
Monomorium pharaonis
Pharaoh ants are the tiny pale-yellow ants that infest hospitals, hotels, apartment blocks and any building with constant warmth. They nest deep in wall voids and split colonies (called 'budding') the moment a repellent spray is used — making the problem dramatically worse. Only specialist gel and protein baits eliminate them. They are a notifiable pest in food-handling environments.
How to identify
- 1.5–2 mm pale yellow to honey-coloured workers
- Trails along plumbing, electrical conduits and skirting
- Multiple queens, multiple satellite nests
- Worsens immediately after a domestic insecticide spray
Where they hide
- Wall voids near hot-water pipes and geysers
- Behind wall tiles, light switches and plug points
- Hospital wards, retirement homes and B&Bs
- Apartment blocks with shared service ducts
Health & property risks
- Mechanically transmits Salmonella, Staph and Strep
- Crawls into IV lines, dressings and surgical kits
- Spreads between apartments through service voids
- Triggers food-handling licence non-conformances
Prevention tips
- Never spray — it causes immediate budding
- Identify before treating; wrong bait fails
- Coordinate treatment across all adjoining units
- Use professional protein + sugar gel rotation
FAQs
Pharaoh Ant — answered
Everything Kempton Park homeowners ask before booking treatment.
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