The management of a private daycare located in the residential area of Saint-Hubert, on the South Shore, contacted our services after observing pharaoh ants in the kitchen of the establishment and in several play rooms. In an environment frequented by young children, the presence of any pest is unacceptable, both for health and regulatory reasons. Pharaoh ants, although harmless in terms of bites, can contaminate food and are a legitimate source of stress for parents and educational staff. The intervention had to comply with the safety standards applicable to daycare settings, using methods and products that are safe for young children. Nova Extermination’s professional extermination services were called upon to resolve this delicate situation with all the rigour required, within a timeframe compatible with the daycare’s schedule.
Assessing the situation in a sensitive environment
The initial inspection was carried out at the end of the day, once the children had left, in accordance with the protocol applied in daycare settings so as not to create unnecessary concern. The technician examined the snack kitchen, rest rooms, game rooms and changing rooms. The pharaoh ants had established active tracks under kitchen appliances, in the ceramic joints of the bathroom, and along the baseboards of hallways. Traces of activity were also found in the storage room for cleaning equipment, where stored liquid products were an attractive source of moisture. Saint-Hubert shares its border with Greenfield Park, and our extermination team in Saint-Hubert knows the unique constraints of children’s facilities and systematically adapts their methods to these regulated environments. Accurate mapping of the infestation made it possible to design a rigorous treatment plan without compromising the safety of the little ones.
Safe Treatment Adapted to Child Care Settings
The protocol for eliminating pharaoh ants in a daycare center relies exclusively on the use of gel baits placed in lockable closed stations that are physically inaccessible to children. No spraying, fumigation or any other aerosol method was used in the premises frequented by the children, in accordance with the requirements of the Ministère de la Famille. The bait stations were fixed in areas out of reach: inside the low cabinets of the kitchen, behind the technical panels of the equipment, in the empty spaces under the sinks and in the false ceilings of the corridors. All staff received short training on treatment behaviours, including the prohibition of the use of commercial insecticides and the need to report any new observations immediately. Management has also been informed that the removal process is gradual and may take three to six weeks to complete, given the size and potential dispersal of colonies in a building of this type.
Rigorous monitoring and long-term preventive measures
Two weeks after the initial bait was laid, our technician carried out a check-up visit. The consumption of bait was high in the kitchen and in the corridors, confirming that the workers were actively using the stations. A slight residual activity in the cleaning room required the addition of two additional stations in this area. During the four-week follow-up, the staff no longer reported the visible presence of ants in the play areas or in the kitchen. The last inspection, six weeks ago, confirmed the complete elimination. We recommended that management implement a periodic pest prevention plan that includes seasonal inspections, which are essential in an environment where food sources are permanently present and children bring snacks daily. Consult our work in an establishment with similar health constraints for an example of a comparable intervention. These measures combined ensure the protection of children and the regulatory compliance of the establishment in the long term.