Of the 40 species of ant in New Zealand, ten are native species and cause no problems. About six of the introduced species come into houses and are attracted by sweet food, although some prefer oily or fatty food.
Ants can be controlled by using insecticide sprays, dusts, baits and repellents. Spraying will kill the ants coming into contact with the insecticide. However, the nest containing the larvae and queen is often located in an inaccessible place and the problem may persist.
Baits are effective for controlling trail making ants. The ant will collect the bait and pass the bait back to the colony. Baits should be placed near to the path of the ants and may take two to three weeks to be effective.