Ants Pest Bear & Affiliates Chapter 2 Section II – General Pest Control Basics of the Pest Bear & Affiliates Service Personnel Development Program 2005 Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

Acrobat ant, Crematogaster spp Acrobat ants are black, 3mm long and hold their abdomen over their head when disturbed. They usually nest outdoors in dead wood, tree holes and firewood, but can nest in wall voids and insulation.. They crawl into buildings around windows and electric cables. Workers are monomorphic (one form), and colonies are polygyne (many queens). They can sting and bite - mainly when the colony is large. Key ID Points & Control Procedures Remember the heart shaped abdomen, held over the head and thorax.. Inspect and identify prior to any treatment. Window and door frames are a favored nesting area. Check exterior areas such as firewood, stone walls and around shrubbery. Look for and follow trails Seal cracks on exterior walls. Establish barrier with residual insecticide on outside of the structure. Treat wall voids, attics and crawl spaces with aerosols and dusts Utilize baits as an additional control tool.

Argentine ant, Linepithema humile Argentine ants are usually dark brown and 2-3 mm long. They usually nest in exposed or covered soil (under logs, debris, firewood, and mulch). The ants forage in trails of many workers along sidewalks and foundations and into buildings, where they forage for food. The ants have one node on the petiole. workers are monomorphic and the colonies are polygyne. Fierce warriors. Have a musty odor when smashed. Key ID Points & Control Procedures Uneven thorax. Like sweets. May come in after heavy rains. Inspect and identify prior to any treatment. Check exterior areas such as firewood, stone walls and around shrubbery. Look for and follow trails. Seal cracks on exterior walls. Establish barrier with residual insecticide on outside of the structure. Treat wall voids, attics and crawl spaces with aerosols and dusts Utilize baits as an additional control tool.

Bigheaded ant, Pheidole megacephala Bighead ants are yellowish-brown and 2-3 mm long. The bighead workers are either major or minor workers and major workers have very large heads. They nest in soil under logs, mulch, firewood, and next to the foundation of buildings. They often trail along sidewalks and the sides of buildings. They often forage indoors for food and water. They have two nodes on the petiole. The colony is polygyne. Key ID Points & Control Procedures Easily identified by their large head. Inspect and identify prior to any treatment. Check exterior areas such as firewood, stone walls and around shrubbery. Look for and follow trails. Seal cracks on exterior walls. Establish barrier with residual insecticide on outside of the structure. Treat wall voids, attics and crawl spaces with aerosols and dusts Utilize baits as an additional control tool.

Crazy ant, Paratrechina longicornis Crazy ants are black and 3 mm long, with long legs, and workers move erratically. Colonies are usually found in both moist and dry environments. Outdoors, nests are often in wood, tree holes, and in mulch. Indoors, nests are often in wall voids and under stored items. The ant has one node on the petiole. Workers are monomorphic, and colonies are polygyne. Key ID Points & Control Procedures Workers may have bluish iridescence. Have very erratic movements. Inspect and identify prior to any treatment. Check exterior areas such as firewood, stone walls and around shrubbery. Look for and follow trails. Seal cracks on exterior walls. Establish barrier with residual insecticide on outside of the structure. Treat wall voids, attics and crawl spaces with aerosols and dusts Utilize baits as an additional control tool.

Florida carpenter ant, Camponotus abdominalis Carpenter ants are large ants, 5-10 mm long, with a yellowish-red thorax and black abdomen. They nest in mulch, logs and in wall voids of houses. They can hollow out wood in order to make a nest, depositing wood pieces (frass) nearby. They have one node on the petiole. Workers are polymorphic (many sizes) and the colony is monogyne (one queen). Colonies may be very large. Key ID Points & Control Procedures Swarm on warm days and forage in late afternoon to night. Inspect and identify prior to any treatment. Check exterior areas such as firewood, stone walls and over hanging tree limbs, which touch the structure. Look for and follow trails and locate the entrance to the nest. Use a moisture meter to locate the nest, require 15% or more moisture. Dusts work best when applied around areas which can be used as entry points into the structure. Use Pyrethrum as a good flushing tool and aid in locating the nest. Wettable powders are OK if applied into the nest. Utilize baits as an additional control tool.

Imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Imported fire ants are reddish brown and 3-6 mm long. They build large mounds in open, sunny areas and can forage indoors. Workers can sting, commonly causing a white pustule to form. They have two nodes on the petiole. Workers are polymorphic and the colonies are usually monogyne but sometimes are polygyne. Little fire ant, Wasmania auropunctata Little fire ants are golden brown and 1-2 mm long. They net under logs and debris. They can inflict a painful sting. They have two nodes on the petiole. Their head is covered with grooves. The workers are monomorphic and the colonies are polygyne.

Native fire ant, Solenopsis geminata Native fire ants are reddish-brown to black and 3-6 mm long. They build irregular, crater-shaped mounds in sunny areas. Workers can sting, but no white pustule forms. They can inflict a painful sting when disturbed. They have two nodes on the petiole. The workers are polymorphic, and the colonies are monogyne or polygyne. Fire Ant Control Fire ants are extremely difficult to control and no control method will permanently eliminate fire ants from an area. Control strategies consist of four methods: Broadcast bait applications. Individual mound treatments. A combination of broadcasting and individual mound treatments ( a complete treatment). Barrier and spot treatments ( does not eliminate the colony).

Fire Ant Control - Broadcast Treatments Attempts to reduce the population by applying pesticides incorporated with a bait. Most baits are very slow acting in order to give the ants time to distribute the pesticide to the entire colony. Areas treated with broadcast treatments are subject to reinfestation due to the limited control. Broadcast treatments eliminate the need to locate the mounds. When using a broadcast method of treatment: Use fresh baits Keep the baits dry Apply the baits when the fire ants are foraging follow the directions on the label. Fire Ant Control - Individual Mound Treatments To eliminate a colony, the queen must be killed. this method is time consuming and labor intensive. Inspection must be thorough All colonies must be eliminated at one time. Individual mound treatment gains control quicker than broadcast treatments. Individual mound treatment methods are: Baiting around the individual mounds. Application of granules which are carried into the colony. Application of dusts which are carried into the colony . Applying pesticides into the colony using a prode and an aerosol delivery system. Applying hot water directly into the mound. Excavating the colony and removing it.

Ghost ant, Tapinoma melanocephalum Ghost ants are 1 mm long, with black head and thorax and clear abdomen and legs. They usually nest indoors and forage indoors. They have a musty odor when squashed. They have a high need for moisture and are often seen in kitchens and bathrooms. The petiole has one node and is hidden by the abdomen. Workers are monomorphic and colonies are usually monogyne but are sometimes polygyne. Key ID Points & Control Procedures Remember dark head and milky white thorax and abdomen. Inspect and identify prior to any treatment. Look for and follow trails Seal cracks on exterior walls. Establish barrier with residual insecticide on outside of the structure. Treat wall voids, attics and crawl spaces with aerosols and dusts Utilize baits as an additional control tool.

Pharaoh ant, Monomorium pharaonis Return to Contents Pharaoh ants are rust colored and 2 mm long. They usually nest indoors (in wall voids, refrigerator insulation, books, etc.) They have two nodes on the petiole. Their antennae are 12-segmented with a three-segmented club. The workers are monomorphic and the colonies are polygyne. Key ID Points & Control Procedures Remember very small size and association with moisture. Can be extremely difficult to control. Inspect and identify prior to any treatment. Look for and follow trails Prebait to establish trails and feeding areas.. Treat wall voids, attics and crawl spaces with aerosols and dusts. Utilize baits which are slow acting. Establish barrier with residual insecticide only after the infestation is controlled or eliminated. Treat entry areas such as around pipes and behind electrical switch plates.