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65
During the year the department dealt with 123 cases of dirty
and verminous premises compared with 262 in 1958. The disinfestation
staff sprayed 338 rooms and contents as compared with 610
last year. In 5 cases the bedding and effects were removed to the
Council's disinfecting station for treatment by steam or formaldehyde.
Of other pests which necessitated the treatment of 376 houses
comprising 1,379 rooms, the following initiated the greater number
of complaints:—
Ants. Ants carry no disease but their presence in human foodstuffs
is objectionable.
Foods of a relatively high sugar content are particularly attractive
to ants and the insects are prepared to go to great lengths in
order to obtain a sufficiency for their community.
In the main, complaints received concerned either the black
garden ant (Lasius niger) or the yellow meadow ant (L. flavis), the
workers of which will gain access to houses through cracks in the
walls or floors, over sills or through window frames in search of
food and 132 treatments were carried out to combat the reported
nuisances.
One of the commonest of ants, the very small red House or
Pharoah's ant (Monomorium pharaonis) was also the cause of a
number of complaints. This insect is often found infesting bakehouses,
restaurants, hospitals and houses, especially in larders and
kitchens and nests may be found behind wall plasters, behind pipes
or ovens, under floor coverings and foundations.
As in previous years this pest was encountered at two of the
large hospitals in the Borough where, despite intensive investigation
the sources of infestation were not located.
The total number of treatments carried out in respect of this
ant was 37.
Although the treatments effected a reasonable measure of
success, complete control can be achieved only by the destruction
of the colonies, for once ants become established in a building.