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COMMON ANTS

  Ants are social insects
  Live in colonies that contains three castes- queens, workers and males
  Queens- lay eggs
  Workers- sterile females, responsible for gathering food, feeding the brood and queen(s), and defending the nest.
  Males- reproductive stage, dies after mating

Ants can be easily distinguished from termites by several characteristics:

  Ant bodies appear constricted or pinched in at the waist (shaped like a figure 8), while termites
     do not have the waist constriction.
  Ants have elbowed antennae, while termites have straight, bead-like antennae.
  The forewings of ants are much larger than the hind wings. Termites' wings are equal in size and shape.

TYPES OF ANTS

ACROBAT ANTS


  Workers are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, light brownish-yellow, and are recognized by a heart-shaped abdomen.
  Acrobat ants may nest both outdoors and indoors.
  Outdoor nests are most often in dead and decaying wood such as logs, stumps, dead trees limbs,
     firewood and hollow tree cavities.
  Nest indoors where moist, damaged wood is present. Therefore, their presence in structures often
     means a moisture problem or water leak is present. They may also nest in foam insulating board or sheathing.
  Workers feed on live and dead insects, as well as honeydew from aphids and mealybugs.
  When colonies are disturbed, workers will readily bite and emit a repulsive odor.

ARGENTINE ANTS


  Workers are approximately 1/8” long and light to dark brown in color.
  Argentine ants have a constricted petiole with one node and the 12-segmented antenna has no club.
  Nest in soil exposed or protected under mulch, rotten wood, standing dead trees, debris, bird nests,
     bee hives, and many other places.
  Indoor nests are often found in walls of bathrooms and kitchens and in crawl spaces beneath the floor
   Feed on both live and dead insects, as well as honeydew. They may be attracted indoors by many food types,
     but prefer sweet foods.

BIG HEADED ANTS


  Small, light brown to reddish brown to nearly black, dull ants
  Two-segmented petiole. Twelve-segmented antennae with three-segmented club.
  Two worker sizes – minor and major
  Nest in soil or under stones, logs, wood, or debris. Foraging trails are sometimes soil-covered and
     resemble subterranean termite foraging tubes.
  Feed on both living and dead insects. Collect honeydew from sap-sucking insects. Forage for sweets,
     fats, and proteins in homes

CARPENTER ANTS


  Adults vary in length from about 1 /4 inch’’for a minor worker, to 1 /2 inch’’ for a major worker, and up to 7 /16 inch’’
     for winged reproductives.
  Each colony has one functional, wingless queen, 9 /16 inch’’ long
  Carpenter ants have only one segment or node between their thorax and abdomen, a circle of hairs at the
     tip of their abdomen, and an evenly rounded thorax
  Cannot sting but can inflict painful bites with their powerful jaws and spray formic acid into the wound,
     causing a burning sensation.
  Omnivorous - eat a great variety of both animal and plant foods, including honeydew from aphids, scale insects
     and other plant-sucking insects, plant juices, fresh fruits, living or dead insects, other small invertebrates,
     common sweets such as syrup, honey, jelly, sugar and fruit, and most kinds of meat, grease and fat.

CRAZY ANTS


  Small workers about 1/8-inch (3 mm)
  The body has long coarse hairs
  Easily recognized by extremely long legs and antenna
  When disturbed, run erratically with no apparent direction
  Nests in places such as trash, refuse, cavities in plants and trees, rotten wood, in soil under objects and
     also have beenfound under debris left standing in buildings for long periods of time
  Workers are omnivorous, feeding on live and dead insects, seeds, honeydew, fruits, plant exudates,
     and many household foods

GHOST ANTS


  Ghost ant workers are extremely small, 1.3 to 1.5 mm long and monomorphic (one-sized)
  Head and thorax are a deep dark brown with gaster and legs opaque or milky white
  Runs in quick, erratic movements when disturbed
  When crushed, the workers emit an odor similar to that of rotten coconuts
  Establishing colonies is most likely by budding
  Multiple queens may be spread out into multiple subcolonies.
  Nest in areas such as tree cavities, under loose bark, at the base of palm fronds, in flowerpots, in and
     under firewood and under objects on the ground, in wall voids, between and behind cabinets, in potted
     plants brought indoors and in almost any protected area.
  Feed on honeydew from sap-sucking insects and will also scavenge for dead insects, indoors they are attracted to
     sweet and protein foods and may infest packages of these foods if accessible.

ODOROUS HOUSE ANTS


  Workers are all the same size, small, 1/8-inch long
  Dark brown to shiny black
  Very strong odor when crushed
  When disturbed, become erratic with their abdomens raised in the air
  Nest in various habitats including wooded areas, beaches, wall voids, and around water pipes and heaters
  Feed on both dead and living insects, favoring aphid and scale honeydew. In homes, forage primarily for sweets

PHARAOH ANTS


  Also called "sugar ant"
  Body length 1/12 to 1/16 inch long (monomorphic)
  Nest in household structures such as wall and cabinet voids, behind baseboards, behind refrigerator
     insulation, inside hollow curtain rods, or in the folds of sheets, clothes, or paper. Outdoors nest in debris
     or cracks and crevices
  Feeds on sweets (jelly, sugar, honey, etc.), cakes and breads, and greasy or fatty foods
  Colonies very mobile; workers, along with larvae, pupae, and even a few queens, may move to new
     locations if disturbed or if colony becomes too large

LITTLE BLACK ANTS


  Body 1/16 inch in length (monomorphic)
  Antennae have 12 segments with a 3-segmented club • Shiny black
  Colonies are moderate to large and contain multiple queens. New colonies are formed by swarmers
  Little black ants may invade homes in search of a wide variety of foods including sweets, meats,
     grease, and bread. Outdoors, this ant feeds on insects, honeydew, pollen, and sweet plant secretions.
  Nest in many different places, including in mulch, logs, stumps, and in piled items

PAVEMENT ANTS


  Workers are all the same size, 3/16-inch long
  12-segmented antennae with 3-segmented club
  Feed on honeydew, insects, sweets, fruit, and greasy foods. These ants can also be found feeding upon pet foods.
  Move in slow deliberate motion and are not easily disturbed
  Nest near or in cracks of pavement, along curbing or in soil beneath stones
  Mounds are built along sidewalks, baseboards, and near foundations in clusters

FIRE ANTS


  Workers are polymorphic (different sizes), small, 1/16- to 1/5-inch long
  Body reddish with shiny dark brown gaster with stinger
  10-segmented antennae with 2-segmented club
  Extremely aggressive; if disturbed, will swarm out of nests and attack in large numbers; can inflict a
     very painful sting
  Nest in mounds with multiple openings in soil or lawns, usually in open sunny areas near a water source
  If undisturbed, mounds may reach up to 18 inches high and 24 inches wide; they become dome-shaped
     after 2-3 years
  Feed on living insects, dead animals, and honeydew from honeydew-producing insects. In homes,
     forage on sweet foods, proteins, and fats

THIEF ANTS


  Workers are all the same size, tiny, 1/32-inch long
  Yellow to light brown with very small eyes
  10-segmented antennae with a 2-segmented club ; often confused with Pharaoh ant,
     (Pharoah ant has 3 segments).
  Nest outdoors in soil under rocks or in decaying wood. Indoors, colonies found in cabinet or wall voids
     or behind baseboards
  Feed on grease and greasy foods, proteins, dead insects,
     and even dead rodents; may sometimes feed on sweets Often steal food and ant larvae from nests of other ants

WEAVER ANTS


  Particularly attracted to nectar
  Weaver ants do not have a stinger, but inflict a painful bite which is aggravated by irritating chemicals
     secreted from their abdomen
  Choose living leaves to build nests - these provide well camouflaged protection from predators and the elements

ANTS MANAGEMENT

RESIDUAL SPRAYING


Ants can be kept out of the house by applying an insecticide barrier around the exterior of the building

BAITING


To be effective baits must be placed in areas where ants frequent, eaten and be taken back to the nest