Some fundamentals first:

Transcription

1 Indoor Ants

2 Some fundamentals first: Metamorphosis pattern Castes Winged vs. non-winged forms Size variations The pedicel (one lump - or two?)

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4 Citronella ants tending larvae

5 Ant larvae and pupae (within cocoons) tended by workers

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9 Field ant workers

10 Field Ants Winged Reproductive Forms Top: Male Bottom: Female

11 Carpenter ant worker

12 Winged males and females Winged males and females

13 In abrupt episodes, workers push the winged stages from the colony After the nuptial flight the males die and the females each try to establish a new colony

14 Carpenter ant queen without wings (dealate)

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16 Red imported fire ant a polymorphic species

17 Pavement ant a monomorphic species

18 Ants and honeydew

19 Honeydew production

20 Honeydew Producing Insects* Aphids Soft scales Leafhoppers Whiteflies Mealybugs *All suck sap from the phloem

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22 Ants that May Occur in a Building Field ants (Formica spp.) Carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.) Odorous house ant (Tapinema sessile) Pavement ant (Tetramorium caespitum) Pharaoh ant (Monomorium pharaonis)

23 Field Ants Formica spp. A common group of ants outdoors A temporary ant found in homes in early spring

24 Thorax noticeably indented

25 One hump (node) on pedicel

26 Field ants aka thatcher ants

27 Field ants collecting sugary secretion from peony buds Field ants collecting aphid honeydew

28 Harbingers of Spring Robin (left); Field ants temporarily forage in homes (below)

29 Carpenter ants

30 Thorax smoothly humped (no indentation)

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32 One hump (node) on pedicel

33 Carpenter ant tunneling

34 Expelled sawdust at colony openings

35 Debris expelled from carpenter ant nest

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37 Carpenter Ants Nest in wood Produce clean, debris-free galleries May produce satellite colonies in structures Feed heavily on honeydew Live, dead insects are other common foods Are primarily night active

38 Odorous house ant

39 Odorous house ant Medium sized (1/8-1/10 inch/ mm) Monomorphic One node on pedicel, but flattened and concealed

40 Odorous house ants heavily utilize honeydew

41 Mulches provide favorable nest sites for odorous house ants

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43 Myrmicine Ants Possess stinger Pedicel is two-humped (two nodes) Examples Pavement ant Pharaoh ant Fire ants Harvester ants

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45 Pavement ant a monomorphic species

46 Two humps (nodes) on pedicel

47 Grooves on head

48 Nests are shallow and usually under rocks, pavement or similar cover

49 Flickers feed heavily on pavement ants

50 Swarms of worker pavement ants a raid in progress!

51 Pavement ant raids are common

52 Sweets, oils, and protein-rich foods may alternately be favored by pavement ants

53 Pharaoh ant the tiniest household ant

54 Notes on Pharaoh Ants Smallest indoor ant (less than 1 mm) Produce numerous queens New colonies readily form by budding Environmental disruptions cause colonies to disperse, bud Primarily visit oily materials Photo by Apex Bait

55 Control of Ants in the Home Eliminate food resources Eliminate water resources Bait to reduce colony size Seal/caulk entry points Sprays?

56 Eliminate Sources of Water

57 Eliminate Alternate Sources of Food

58 Baiting for Ants

59 Fundamentals of Ant Baiting Match bait to feeding habits of target ant species Use slow-acting toxicant Remove alternate food sources Place bait near foragers Maintain bait quality Replenish baits as needed

60 Fundamentals of Ant Baiting Match bait to feeding habits of target ant species Use slow-acting toxicant Remove alternate food sources Place bait near foragers Maintain bait quality Replenish baits as needed

61 Other Food Preferences Oily materials Pharaoh ant Pavement ant (often) Sweet materials Field ant Carpenter ants Odorous house ants Pavement ants (sometimes)

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64 Fundamentals of Ant Baiting Match bait to feeding habits of target ant species Use slow-acting toxicant Boric acid Hydramethylnon Indoxcarb Fipronil Remove alternate food sources Place bait near foragers Maintain bait quality Replenish baits as needed

65 Borax or Boric Acid based baits

66 Borates used for wood protection Boric acid used for ant and cockroach control Primary uses of boron based insecticides

67 Hydramethylnon an insect growth regulator type of insecticide

68 A hydramethylon product used on ants outdoors

69 Fipronil

70 Carpenter Ant Baits Special baits are designed for these type of ants Must be liquid or moist gel Sugar based

71 Fundamentals of Ant Baiting Match bait to feeding habits of target ant species Use slow-acting toxicant Remove alternate food sources Place bait near foragers Maintain bait quality Replenish baits as needed

72 Boric acid can be used as a tracking powder Boric acid is picked up and returned to the colony similar effects of baiting.

73 Effectiveness of sprays indoors for ant control?

74 Eliminate entry points used by ants

75 Use multiple approaches to eliminate ants from a home

76 Control of Ants in the Home Eliminate food resources Eliminate water resources Bait to reduce colony size Seal/caulk entry points Sprays?