Ant Management

Fudd Graham, Janet Hurley, Dan Suiter, Karen Vail, Mike Merchant

eXtension USDA/NIFAAuburn University, Texas A&M University, University of Georgia,

University of Tennessee, Texas AgriLife Extension

WEBINAR

Ant ManagementManaging Problems with Pharaoh Ants

Dr. Michael Merchant,

Texas AgriLife Extension Service Professor and Extension Urban Entomologistm-merchant@tamu.edu

IDENTIFYING ANTS

Sometimes confused with other insects

Pinched waist One or two pedicels

(nodes) between thorax and abdomen

Elbow joint in the antennae (except in some males)

MICROSCOPE OR HAND LENS?

Hand lens OK for most pest ants

BASIC ANT ANATOMY{Thorax {GasterPetiole (nodes)

BASIC ANT ANATOMY

Petiole (nodes)

PETIOLE SHAPE AND NUMBER

Number of nodes used in identification

60X magnification

PETIOLE (SINGLE, POINTED)

60X magnification

Single node with peak

POLYMORPHISM

When ant workers of the same species vary in size and shape Majors and minors

minor workers major workers female reproductive

OTHER CHARACTERS USED TO IDENTIFY ANTS

Nesting sites Mound construction/ appearance Foraging behavior Defensive behavior

RECOGNIZING REPRODUCTIVE ANTS

Pinched waist

Elbowed antennae

Un-equallengthwings

PHARAOH ANTS

Queen

Worker

Pharaoh ants

CHALLENGES OF PHARAOH ANT CONTROL

• Tramp species• Polygyne, synanthropic, easily

transported• Rapid development time

• 22-48 days (egg-adult)• Reproductive strategy

• Nest division, rapid spread to new sites, not fussy about nesting sites (indoors and outdoors)

• Difficult to control• Baits, sprays

Indoors Walls Cardboard boxes Drawers Storage areas Follow electrical lines

Indoor colonies frequently forage outside in warm season

NESTING SITES

BAITS

Use baits tested against Pharaoh ants such as Advion Ant Bait Arenas Maxforce Ant Bait Stations (Sugar-based baits)

Place where ants active but unreachable by children

Avoid use of cleaning chemicals or insecticides around stations

Store baits away from chemicals Handle with clean hands

look along structural guidelines

TIPS FOR BAITING

Warmer times of year – bait outdoors

Outdoors : monitor window sills, entrances and exits, water spigots, ac/heat units, attic vents, etc.

RESIDUAL INSECTICIDES

Avoid fast-acting sprays Permethrin Cyfluthrin Deltamethrin Bifenthrin

Slow-acting, non-repellent sprays OK Chlorfenapyr (Phantom) indoors Fipronil (Termidor) outdoors

Pho

to by Ale

x Wild

Ant ManagementCarpenter Ants: Biology and Baiting

Dr. Dan Suiter,

University of GeorgiaDepartment of EntomologyUniversity of Georgia Griffin Campus1109 Experiment StreetGriffin, GA 30223-1797

CARPENTER ANTS

Nest in Knots in Hardwood Trees

CARPENTER ANTS CONSTRUCTPERMANENT TRAILS

CARPENTER ANTS CONSTRUCTPERMANENT TRAILS

CARPENTER ANTS FOLLOW STRUCTURAL GUIDELINES

CARPENTER ANTS ARE ACTIVE AT NIGHT

CARPENTER ANTS FORAGE MAINLY AT NIGHT

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CARPENTER ANTS ARE SOMETIMES ACTIVE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS

500

CARPENTER ANTS ARE BEST CONTROLLED WITH BAITS

BAIT CARPENTER ANT NEST SITES

Deliver Granular & Gel Baits from Piles

Nest in Tree

HardwoodTree

PermanentTrail

Ants foraging indoorsfrom a nest in a tree outside

OPTIGARD CARPENTER ANT BAIT GEL(0.01% THIAMETHOXAM)

ADVION ANT BAIT GEL(0.05% INDOXACARB)

ADVANCE GRANULAR CARPENTER ANT BAIT (0.011% ABAMECTIN B1)

MAXFORCE CARPENTER ANT BAIT GEL (0.001% FIPRONIL)

MAXFORCE CARPENTER ANT BAIT GEL(0.001% FIPRONIL)

MAXFORCE CARPENTER ANT BAIT GEL (0.001% FIPRONIL)

MAXFORCE CARPENTER ANT BAIT GEL (0.001% FIPRONIL)

MAXFORCE CARPENTER ANT BAIT GEL (0.001% FIPRONIL)

MAXFORCE CARPENTER ANT BAIT GEL (0.001% FIPRONIL)

THE KEY TO CARPENTER ANT CONTROL

The Key to Carpenter Ant Control is to Find and Remove the Colony

Given The Quality of Today’sCarpenter Ant Baits…

…Think Elimination!

Ant ManagementHow Can You Tell if You Have Odorous House Ants?

Karen M. Vail, Ph.D

University of TennesseeEntomology and Plant PathologyProfessorkvail@utk.edu

ANTS

Ants are the number 1 urban pest in the United States generating an estimated $1.7 billion annually for pest management professionals (Curl 2005)

in Field, Klotz, Rust and Kupfer (PCT [Ant Control] on Target 3/26/2007)

Curl, G. 2005. A strategic analysis of the U.S. structural pest control industry – The 2005 season. A survey of Pest Management Professionals in the U.S., Gary Curl, Specialty Products Consultants.

WHY HAVE ANTS BECOME SUCH A DOMINANT PEST?

Structures placed in ants’ habitat Society less tolerant Some tramp species more difficult to control Others?

(Cooper 2004, PCT Ant Summit)

EXPLORING AMERICA'S #1 NUISANCE PEST 2011 NATIONAL NPMA SURVEY RESULTS BY DR. LAUREL HANSEN, JIM FREDERICKS, AND MISSY HENRIKSEN

http://www.pestworld.org/news-and-views/pest-articles/articles/ant-survey-executive-summary/

EXPLORING AMERICA'S #1 NUISANCE PEST 2011 NATIONAL NPMA SURVEY RESULTS BY DR. LAUREL HANSEN, JIM FREDERICKS, AND MISSY HENRIKSEN

Ants on the Rise  54% PMPs claim ant infestations on rise 57% have seen more infestations of odorous house

ants  No other species mentioned nearly as often, suggests

OHA main cause of the growing problem 

OHA FOUND COAST TO COAST AND SEA LEVEL TO MOUNTAINS

OHA hot spots

ODOROUS HOUSE ANTTAPINOMA SESSILE

Small, 1/8 inch, dark brown ant One-segmented waist, lacks bump Slit-like opening Smells of rotten coconut when

crushed Monomorphic

Technomyrmex difficilis, difficult ant, formerly known as the white-footed ant

Tapinoma sessile, Odorous house ant

5 dorsal segments

4 dorsal segments

Linepithema humile, Argentine ant

Tapinoma sessile, Odorous house ant

Tapinoma sessile, Odorous house ant

Bump on waist

Tetramorium caespitum, Pavement ant

Tapinoma sessile, Odorous house ant

4 dorsal segments

2 seg-waist

Crematogaster sp., Acrobat ant

Tapinoma sessile, Odorous house ant

4 dorsal segments

2 seg-waist

Pheidole sp., Big-headed ant

Tapinoma sessile, Odorous house ant

4 dorsal segments

2 seg-waist

Nylanderia sp., Crazy ants

Tapinoma sessile, Odorous house ant

4 dorsal segments

Circular opening at end of abdomen

OHA WORKER AND QUEENS

NESTING SITES

NESTING SITES

NESTING SITES

NESTS UNDER OUTDOOR GARBAGE CAN

NESTING SITES

NESTING SITES

NESTING SITES

NEST MOVEMENT/SITE SELECTION

Workers move brood to shaded nest sites after disturbance.

Over time, workers will move and brood will be moved to areas of higher moisture.

Workers will move and relocate brood closer to food over 1m and 6m distances.

OHA ACTIVITY NEAR STRUCTURES

OHA abundance is higher within 10 ft of structures

OHA found near leaf litter along with presence of logs, boards, and/or landscape timbers

TACTILE CUES

Guidelines Ridges Edges Grooves

NESTING SITES

Indoors Kitchen and bathrooms

Walls Cabinets Drawers Under sinks, toilets, etc. Near garbage

(bathrooms, classrooms, kitchens) Storage areas

Follow pipes/electrical lines/other lines

Mainly outdoor colonies, but may forage and nest indoors

INDOOR OHA FED RED OR BLUE SUGAR WATER.

OUTDOOR OHA DYE DETERMINATION AT HOURLY INTERVALS.

AFTER 2 HOURS, DYED ANTS WERE FOUND OUTDOORS.

WHY DO PESTS ENTER?

MANAGEMENT

1. Identify (and collection)

2. Correct conducive conditions indoors and outdoors through Sanitation & Pest Proofing (remove access to food [including honeydew producers], water and shelter [nest sites])

3. Monitor, inspect and locate nests

4. Bait areas of activity

5. Treat nests

6. Treat perimeter, entry ways and areas of activity

7. Combine above

SANITATION/CULTURAL CONTROL

Clean spills promptly Store food properly Remove waste reg. Clean waste cans Place dumpsters/cans away from school Fix leaks quickly Wipe trails with cleaner Trim vegetation Move mulch away Replace landscape timbers Remove debris that retains moisture Seal entry points

CHEMICAL CONTROL

Baits Cracks and crevices where

ants active Sweet or protein baits (NOT

oil for OHA) Reduce food competition

with bait Do not apply fast-acting

sprays near baits Do not disturb ants foraging

to baits

GEL BAITS IN CRACKS AND CREVICES

GEL BAITS IN CRACKS AND CREVICES

Rebait after 4 wk reading using the Ant & Roach Buffet Station

TERMIDOR OUTSIDE AND PHANTOM INSIDE

Bradshaw Interior Treatment

NPD sprayer provided byRaymond MeyersRJMContracting.comIndoor applications made by Kyle Lundy

INTERIOR PYRETHROID TREATMENT ONLY OF SPRAY AND DUST C & C NOT VERY EFFECTIVE AGAINST OHA

MANAGEMENT

1. Identify (and collection)

2. Correct conducive conditions indoors and outdoors through Sanitation & Pest Proofing (remove access to food [including honeydew producers], water and shelter [nest sites])

3. Monitor, inspect and locate nests

4. Bait areas of activity

5. Treat nests

6. Treat perimeter, entry ways and areas of activity

7. Combine above

IDENTIFICATION RESOURCES

Ant Web http://www.antweb.org/

Ants (Formicidae) of the Southeastern US Website http://mississippientomologi

calmuseum.org.msstate.edu//Researchtaxapages/Formicidaehome.html

eXtension.org and local Extension sources

ANT ID & MANAGEMENT RESOURCES EXTENSION AGENTS/SPECIALISTS

Distance Diagnostics

ANT ID & MANAGEMENT RESOURCES

Pest Identification Guide for Pests In and Around Structure $12.00 http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en

/environment/insects/structural/Pesticide-Identification-Guide-for-Pests-In-and-Around-Buildings.htm

PCT Field Guide $12.95 www.pctonline.com

ANT ID & MANAGEMENT RESOURCES

SCHOOL IPM ACTION PLAN FOR TRAMP ANTS

http://www.extension.org/pages/20993/school-ipm-action-plan-for-tramp-ants

Ant Management

Where you can find Urban IPMPest Management in and Around Structures

kimtag.com/urbanipm