Where Kingston's Ants Get In
Patio doors in New Malden's suburban semis
New Malden's 1930s semis were built with a rear patio door leading onto the garden, and the gap where that door meets its frame is one of the easiest routes for ants to find their way into a kitchen. Outside, the nest is usually somewhere along the patio itself — under a slab or at the base of a low wall — and it's rarely far from the door the trail is using.
Garden gaps in Tolworth's interwar houses
Tolworth's interwar semis along the A3 corridor have similar-sized gardens, and ants there follow much the same pattern, coming in through skirting boards or an old air brick close to the kitchen. Warm, humid weather tends to bring the trail indoors more noticeably, as more workers follow the same scent line looking for food.
Signs to Look For
- A steady trail of ants heading to and from a food source
- Small mounds of fine soil near patios, paving or skirting boards
- Ants appearing around windows, doors or kitchen units, especially in warm weather
- Winged ants indoors, which can signal a nest close by
Keeping Ants Out of a Kingston Kitchen
Finding and sealing the gap the trail is using does more than wiping the worktop, since new workers simply pick the scent back up.
