A logistics warehouse located in the industrial zone of Candiac, on the South Shore, called on our services after discovering an infestation of pharaoh ants in its break rooms and in the annex offices. Warehouses are particularly conducive environments for these pests due to the large heated surfaces, the many packaged goods that may contain food residues, and the continuous circulation of pallets and containers from various sources. In this context, an untreated infestation can quickly spread to all stored goods and become a serious source of contamination for the company’s customers. The establishment had already received a remark during an internal quality audit, which made the intervention urgent. Our specialized extermination company developed a precise action plan to solve the problem in the shortest possible time without disrupting the daily operations of the warehouse.
Inspection and identification of sources in an industrial environment
Inspecting a large warehouse requires a rigorous methodology adapted to this type of infrastructure. Our technicians went through all the areas, starting with the break room and the staff toilets, where the concentrations of ants were the most visible and the easiest to document. Active trails were then traced back to high-density storage areas for packaged food products, where damaged packaging was an easily accessible source of food for ants. The inspection also revealed the presence of colonies in the raised false floors of the administrative offices, as well as in the cavities in the walls of the boiler room. Candiac is neighboring Mirabel, and several warehouses in the area have reported similar problems with pharaoh ants being accidentally transported via imported goods. Our extermination team in Candiac has drawn up a complete mapping of the areas of activity before establishing the treatment plan adapted to this vast industrial environment.
Processing in industrial and logistics environments
The treatment plan for the extermination of pharaoh ants in a warehouse was structured around two main axes: the elimination of existing colonies by gel baiting, and the reduction of favorable conditions for their development. Closed bait stations were placed in the break room, in the sanitary rooms, in the administrative offices and along the walls of the boiler room, covering all identified households. In the storage areas, the bait was placed in strategic locations inaccessible to the goods, at the base of the racks and in the structural cavities. Operations managers were given clear instructions: quickly manage damaged goods to eliminate food sources, train teams to report any ant sightings, and keep the break room rigorously clean after each use. No spraying was carried out in the active storage areas to avoid any risk of contamination of goods destined for customers.
Results, prevention and continuous monitoring programme
The first follow-up visits, at two and four weeks, confirmed a gradual reduction in ant activity throughout the warehouse. The break room and the offices showed the fastest results, thanks to the new hygiene practices put in place by the staff following our intervention. The boiler room space required reinforcement baiting on the second visit, as the colonies were particularly well established due to the constant heat. By week six, no residual activity was detectable in the treated areas. To protect the warehouse in the long term, we recommended the implementation of a pest prevention program adapted to the industrial context, with quarterly inspections and a protocol for checking incoming goods. Professional caulking of cracks and cable penetrations in the exterior walls was carried out to reduce the risk of introduction from the outside of the building. These measures combined allow the company to maintain compliance with its facilities. Consult our work in another storage facility for a complementary example of a successful intervention on the South Shore.