Aussie resident baffled by 'small mess' seeping from behind wall
The strange mess just keep coming back a few times a year.
A reappearing, mysterious mess in a home is a surefire way to drive someone mad, with one Queenslander pleading for answers after such a sight kept on emerging from under his skirting board.
The "bits" on the floor of the Brisbane home have been persistently popping up "a few times a year," meaning there could be more to the problem than meets the eye.
"Can anyone help identify what these bits are appearing from under our skirting board," the man asked on his local Facebook group.
"I believe it's coming from the wall [and] tapping the wall produces a few more bits. Have not noticed any sounds.
"Usually seen this small mess appear in the morning so maybe an overnight thing... sometimes seen large black ants around."
What could it be?
The homeowner has likely identified the culprits with the mess likely comprised of materials from inside the wall, destroyed by ants, according to Director of ABC Pest Control Warren Bailey.
"In the wall cavity there must be black ants, and that must be what is bringing out the mess from the wall cavity onto the floorboards," he told Yahoo News Australia.
Aussie woman stumped over mess made by mystery 'house guest'
Aussie woman's sad possum find in backyard: 'People don't realise'
Mr Bailey said this is a common occurrence, and something he's seen "heaps of times" in "colder and older" houses. Ants are likely to be nesting in the wall for shelter due to the close proximity to food sources, with small holes in the dry wall being one way to tell.
In Queensland, black ants are one of the most common to be found and are notoriously hard to get rid of. Their exposure to dog waste also makes them a potential transmitter for salmonella, according to Pest Control North Brisbane.
So what's the best way to treat the issue? Pest controllers across the board believe finding and removing the nest will be the best way to get rid of the ant colony, followed by sealing up the area after.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
