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 Ants
Pavement
Ants
Pavement
ants are small ants about 1/8th inch
long and dark brown to black in color.
They are found throughout the US and
are a major pest in the many areas. The
name for this ant comes from its habit
of nesting under sidewalks and driveways
and piling dirt removed from the nest,
in a mound, on top of the pavement.
In
addition to nesting under sidewalks,
pavement ant colonies can be found under
other items lying on top of the ground,
including stones, logs, boards, bricks
and patio blocks. They may nest in open
soil close to building foundations or
under mulch in landscaped beds. Only
rarely do the ants nest indoors in walls,
under floors or in insulation. |
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Control
of pavement ants should begin with an attempt
to locate the nest site. Ants entering buildings
from outdoors can be discouraged by sealing
as many cracks and gaps in exterior walls as
possible. Also, correct poor foundation drainage
and repair water leaks.
Odorous
House Ants
| Odorous
house ants are small ants about 1/8th inch
long and dark brown in color. They are
found throughout the US, and in spite of
their name, are only occasional pests in
the house. Their name comes from the disagreeable
odor, similar to the smell of rotten coconuts,
that is given off when the worker ants
are crushed. |
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Odorous
house ants commonly nest outdoors in the soil under
stones, logs, mulch, debris and other items. They
will also nest indoors in wall and floor voids,
particularly in moist or warm areas. If only a
few workers (wingless ants) are observed in the
house it is an indication that they are nesting
outdoors and entering the house in search of food.
If winged swarmers are found indoors, or if workers
are consistently seen in great abundance, it likely
indicates they are nesting within the house.
Control
of odorous house ants should begin with an
attempt to locate the origin of the ants. Careful
and frequent observation may be necessary to
develop an opinion about the source. Ants entering
from outdoors can be discouraged by sealing
as many cracks and gaps in exterior walls as
possible.
Pharaoh
Ants
Pharaoh
ants are very small in size, light yellow
to red in color with black markings on
their abdomen. Due to their extremely
small size, they can be found in a diversity
of places, appearing suddenly. They have
a wide range of foraging and their nests
are usually well hidden. They are very
persistent, with large colonies.
Inside
they are usually found in the kitchen
and bathrooms, but workers are seen trailing
along window sills, and baseboards. They
can also be spotted near sources of water
in the kitchen and bathrooms, counter
tops, toilets, drains and sinks. They
prefer to nest in recessed areas like
wall voids, under some appliances, in
wall outlets, under carpet for protection.
They can also nest outdoors in lawns
and gardens. |
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Argentine
Ants
| Most
visible members of this species are about
1/8-inch in length. Their color varies
from dark brown to black, and the body
is often shiny in appearance. |
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Colonies
of argentine ants can grow quite large and contain
tens of thousands of workers and numerous queens.
Each colony will be divided into subcolonies located
in various suitable harborages connected by established
trunk trails. These subcolonies can number from
a few hundred to thousands of individuals. Since
members of two separate colonies are not aggressive
toward each other, colonies will often combine
with one another. This creates huge super-colonies
that may extend over several properties. Argentine
ants are very aggressive and will drive out native
species of ants creating an environment where they
are literally the "king" of the anthill.
Their primary food source during the warm months
is the sweet "honeydew" produced by aphids
and mealybugs. The presence of fruit trees, roses,
and other plants that attract aphids often contributes
to argentine ant infestations. Argentine ants reside
outdoors, usually in shallow nests in the soil
beneath a stone, board, or any other item that
provides protection. Small, medium, or large subcolonies
will locate themselves in piles of lumber, bricks,
or debris, in landscape mulch, in river rock; within
and under insulation; and in wall voids or any
other suitable void. Argentine ants are becoming
very common invaders of homes in the Southwestern
United States. The argentine ant can be very difficult
to control.
Carpenter
Ants
Carpenter
Ants are up to 5/8 - inch long and their
color will vary from black, black & brown,
red & black to light brown depending
on the species. The most common species
are black in color.
Carpenter
ants feed on a wide variety of foods,
especially other insects. The favored
food of adults is the sweet honeydew
produced by plant-feeding insects, such
as aphids, scales, and mealybugs. In
the spring, mature colonies produce winged
reproductive ants, called swarmers, that
fly out to start new colonies. These
swarms often occur from satellite colonies
within homes. A homeowner may see large
flying ants in their home at night. Carpenter
ants can be very difficult to control. |
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