Week 2 - Day 10 - Ants
ESSENTIAL READING BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF COURSE:
Urban
Pest Management in Australia: 2004
Edition, UNSW Press, Sydney
by
J Gerozisis and P Hadlington
- Chapter 11 - Pages 113 to 117
Chapter 11 – Household Pests - ants - structure - life cycle - three casts of ants (male, female, worker) - habits - why ants are considered pests - ant control - non-chemical prevention and control - chemical control - surface sprays - space sprays - dusts - baits
There are approximately 3000 species of ants in Australia which nest in many varied locations.
PEST STATUS
Ants are considered pests because:
Nuisance
Ants enter homes and cause considerable concern
and annoyance to the occupants.
Structural
The removal of small amounts of soil from concrete and
brick paving will eventually cause subsiding and cracking.
Damage
Ants remove planted seeds from the soil causing less germination. Nests around the bases of small shrubs and trees result in undermining and may eventually topple them.
Hygiene
The conveyance of some diseases such as Dysentery, Small Pox and Salmonella has been recorded.
FOOD PREFERENCES OF SOME SPECIES OF ANTS
ANT SPECIES |
SWEETS |
PROTEIN |
OIL |
SEEDS |
PLANTS |
INSECTS |
Argentine |
X |
|
X |
|
X |
|
Costal Brown |
X |
X |
|
X |
|
X |
Carpenter |
X |
|
|
|
|
X |
Odorous |
X |
|
|
|
|
X |
Pharaoh |
X |
X |
X |
|
|
X |
Whitefooted |
X |
X |
|
|
|
x |
Pest Species:
Argentine ant (Lineepithema humile)
Coastal Brown Ant (Pheidole Megacephala)
Pharaoh’s Ant (Monomorium Pharaonis)
Odorous Ant (Tapinoma Minutum)
Singapore Ant (Monomorium Destructor)
Brown House Ant (Dolermyrma Darwiniana)
White footed House Ant (Technomyrmex Albipes)
Black House Ant ( Ochetellus spp.)(glaber gp.)
Carpenter Ants (Camponotus spp.)
Meat Ants (Iridomyrmex spp.)
Jumper Ants (Promyrmecia spp.)
Bulldog Ants (Myrmecia spp.)
Identification
techniques
ARGENTINE ANT
1.5-3.0 mm. Light brown to brown. Single flattened node on pedicel. Eyes close to base of antennae. Trail in populous columns. No formic acid odour when crushed. Will walk over a hand if placed on trail. Will drive other ants from their ' area of occurrence.
COASTAL BROWN ANTS
1.5-2.5 mm. Light yellowish brown to brown. 2 raised nodes on pedicel, hind node more rounded. 1 pair of small spines on hind part of thorax. Has 2 worker castes: those with enlarged darkened heads (Major workers), and numerous smaller minor workers.
PHARAOH’S ANT
1.5-2.0 mm Light yellowish brown to darker brown. Top and tip of abdomen slightly darker. 2 nodes on pedicel. No spines on thorax. Antenna clubbed with three enlarged segments. No odour when crushed.
ODOROUS ANT
2-3 mm Brown to dark brown. 1 small flattened node on pedicel (almost hidden by abdomen) Distinct odour similar to rancid butter when crushed.
SMALL BLACK ANTS
2-5 mm . Black with pale tarsi. No nodes present on one segmented pedicel.
CARPENTER ANTS
7-12mm olour variable. Distinct single node on pedicel. Smooth, evenly rounded thorax. Circle of tiny hairs at the end of abdomen.
MEAT ANTS
14-15 mm Red and black in colour.
LIFE CYCLE
Metamorphosis Complete
Larvae Whitish
grub, narrower at the head.
Fed
by adults.Develops through several instars.
Pupa Soft – creamy
white.
Similar
to the adult.
Adult 3
distinctive body sections.
Head – Thorax – Abdomen.
Nodes
present between the thorax
And
abdomen.
Useful
identification
Elbowed
antennae
Compound
eyes
Male Winged. Only
function is to mate with the queen.
Queen Loses
wings after mating.
Normally mates only once.
1 queen present in some species in others many queens.
May live for up to 15 years.
Workers Sterile
females.
Maintain
and feed the colony.
Life
span approximately 1 year.
Larger
workers are called soldiers.
The queen controls the colony following mating the female commences egg laying. Mating takes place on the wing.
Fertilised eggs become female, unfertilised become males.
In some ant species budding off, in which a fertilised queen will leave the nest with a number of workers on foot and establish a new nest form new colonies.
Common
Breeding Sites
NESTING HABITS OF SOME COMMON SPECIES OF ANTS
ANT SPECIES |
NESTING HABITS |
Argentine |
Nesting habits:Often nests in exposed soil or under cover in rotting logs, plant cavities etc. Often moves indoors in wet weather. Seldom swarms. Usually mates within the nest. Usually a colony has several queens.
Feeding habits: Prefers sweet foods but will eat meats, insects, seeds, fruit and honeydew from sap suckers. May damage soiled clothing.
The ant is a native of South America and widely regarded as the most successful scavenging ant that is a pest of man. So serious is the threat posed by this insect that, in most parts of Australia its sighting should be reported to local council or appropriate state government authorities before any control action is taken. |
Costal Brown |
Nesting habits: Often located within building structures, in crevices in brickwork, in cavity walls, and behind skirtings and architraves. Sometimes nests around paths and rockeries.
Feeding habits: Prefers materials of animal origin, including dead insects, meat particles, fat and grease. |
Carpenter |
Nesting habits: Most commonly nests in decayed or moist wood. Sometimes nests in soil. May travel great distances for food. Mostly associated with bushy areas
Feeding habits: Forages mostly at night. Eats dead and live insects, honeydew from sap suckers and a variety of household wastes. Attracted to sweets. |
Odorous |
Nesting habits: Commonly nests within buildings in walls, under stoves and i cupboards, and in subfloor voids. Seldom swarms.
Feeding habits: Eats most types of household food. Prefers sweets but will eat meat, breadcrumbs etc. |
Pharaoh |
Nesting habits:Typically forms large colonies, with many queens. May travel considerable distances for food. Commonly nests indoors in wall voids, beneath floors, around foundations, in ceilings and in other parts of buildings. Often nests in warmer parts of buildings (eg adjacent to heating ducts). Seldom swarms.
Feeding habits:Eats almost any type of food material. Prefers high protein materials (eg meat, blood) as well as fatty foods and vegetable matter. Also attacks sweets. |
Whitefooted |
Nesting habits: Commonly nests indoors and outdoors. Nests found around paths and rockeries, inside cavity walls, behind skirtings and architraves, under and behind kitchen cupboards etc.
Feeding habits:Somewhat general feeder, eating meats and sweets. Probably prefers sweets. |
Useful website links:
http://www.ipminstitute.org/school_biblio_buildings.htm#Ant
|
