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Nuisance Ants on Golf Courses Turfgrass and Environmental Research Online ...Using Science to Benefit Golf University of Kentucky researchers are studying the biology and behavior of mound-build- ing ants, Lasius neoniger, in an effort to develop an effective control strategy to limit their mounding activities on golf course tees and putting greens. Volume 2, Number 22 November 15, 2003 PURPOSE The purpose of USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Online is to effectively communicate the results of research projects funded under USGA’s Turfgrass and Environmental Research Program to all who can benefit from such knowledge. Since 1983, the USGA has funded more than 290 projects at a cost of $25 million. The pri- vate, non-profit research program provides funding opportunities to university faculty interested in working on envi- ronmental and turf management problems affecting golf courses. The outstanding playing conditions of today’s golf courses are a direct result of using science to benefit golf. Editor Research Director Jeff Nus, Ph.D. Michael P. Kenna, Ph.D. 904 Highland Drive P.O. Box 2227 Lawrence, KS 66044 Stillwater, OK 74076 [email protected] [email protected] (785) 832-2300 (405) 743-3900 (785) 832-9265 (fax) (405) 743-3910 (fax) USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Committee Bruce Richards, Chairman Ron Dodson Kimberly Erusha, Ph.D. Ali Harivandi, Ph.D. Ricky Heine, CGCS Noel Jackson, Ph.D. Michael P. Kenna, Ph.D. Jeff Krans, Ph.D. Pete Landschoot, Ph.D. James Moore Jeff Nus, Ph.D. Tim O’Neill, CGCS Paul Rieke, Ph.D. Robert Shearman, Ph.D. James T. Snow Clark Throssell, Ph.D. Pat Vittum, Ph.D. Scott Warnke, Ph.D. James Watson, Ph.D. Teri Yamada Permission to reproduce articles or material in the USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Online (ISSN 1541-0277) is granted to newspapers, periodicals, and educational institutions (unless specifically noted otherwise). Credit must be given to the author(s), the article title, and USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Online including issue and number. Copyright protection must be afforded. To reprint material in other media, written permission must be obtained fom the USGA. In any case, neither articles nor other material may be copied or used for any advertising, promotion, or commercial purposes. Nuisance Ants on Golf Courses Reid M. Maier and Daniel A. Potter enlarging the nest chambers. SUMMARY Ant mounds can be very abundant in high- sand rootzone putting greens and tees. Besides Mound-building nuisance ants have become one of the being unsightly, they dull mower blades, clog most troublesome pests in golf course maintenance. machinery, and smother closely mowed grass. On Knowledge of their biology is important in establishing a control strategy for golf course putting greens. University putting greens, ant mounds disrupt smoothness of Kentucky researchers have found: and uniformity and can directly impact the game. Most of the nuisance ant problems on golf courses in the This article provides an update on our current cool-season and transitional zones seem to be caused by USGA-funded research project concerning biolo- Lasius neoniger, the so-called turfgrass ant. gy and pro-active management of turf ants on golf Researchers determined that mound building started in February or March, increased rapidly in April and May, and courses. declined by late summer. Ants are the main predators of white grub eggs in the Basic Ant Biology soil, as well as eggs and small larvae of cutworms, sod webworms, and other turf insects. Most of the nuisance ant problems on golf Lasius ant mounds are concentrated around the edges of sand-based greens. More than 90% of mounds on greens courses in the cool-season and transitional zones were located within 2 meters (6.5 feet) of perimeter, and seem to be caused by Lasius neoniger, the so- only 3% were more than 3 meters (10 feet) into the green. called turfgrass ant (1). Worker ants, the form Turf ants have a mutualistic relationship with root most often seen, are light to medium brown and aphids which they maintain in their nests and “tend” like about 2-2.5 mm (1/10th inch ) long. Lasius dairy cattle, feeding on the aphids’ sugary excrement. Root aphids are abundant in native soil, but largely absent from neoniger is a cosmopolitan species that typically high-sand rootzone greens. Maintaining access to root nests in sunny open areas. The subterranean nest aphids may explain, in part, why ant nests are distributed consists of shallow interconnected chambers and around the edges of greens. Research will test whether con- is seldom more than 25-38 cm (10-15") deep. trolling the aphids will discourage ants from nesting. Besides workers, the nest contains a single repro- Queen ant emergence is synchronized in late summer. Researchers are testing whether treating a narrow buffer ductive queen as well as immature stages (eggs, zone just outside the collar will intercept new queens, pre- larvae, and pupae) that collectively are called the vent nest establishment, and reduce ant problems the following year. Mound-building nuisance ants have become one of the most troublesome pests in golf course maintenance. The problem occurs when ants construct nests on putting greens and tees. Ant nests, which are located underground, often have multiple entrances each surrounded by a small volcano-shaped mound of soil. Mounds are formed from soil particles that the worker ants bring to the surface while excavating burrows and REID M. MAIER and DANIEL A. POTTER, Dept. of Entomology, S-225 Agric. Science Bldg. N., University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0091 Lasius neoniger ant queen on closely mowed bentgrass USGA Turfgrass and Environmental Research Online 2(22):1-5. 1 TGIF Record Number: 94385 brood. mounds on ten sand-based creeping bentgrass tees For most of the growing season, the queen on each of two Kentucky golf courses monthly lays eggs that develop into infertile female work- from February through November. Mounding ers that cooperate in the various tasks in the started in February or March, increased rapidly in colony including cleaning and enlarging the nest, April and May, and declined by late summer. gathering food, defending the nest from natural Workers of L. neoniger forage on the sur- enemies, and tending to the queen and her brood. face for food including insect eggs, small insects, In mid- to late summer she begins laying eggs that or insect fragments. A successful foraging trip develop into reproductive individuals, i.e., males results in the worker depositing a trail pheromone and new queens. These winged reproductive ants from its hindgut while returning to the nest. emerge from the nest in late summer, mate, and Additional workers use this trail to find the the newly fertilized young queens fly or crawl to resource discovered by the scout. Subsequent new sites to overwinter where they will start a workers reinforce this trail pheromone so long as new colony the following year. the food resource is present. Workers also may Egg-laying begins in early spring. Queens obtain carbohydrates by feeding at extrafloral nec- initiating a new nest first lay a small batch of 10 taries, or by collecting nectar from flowers of to 20 eggs. This first brood will develop into tiny nearby plants. For example, we have observed L. workers called nanitics. Nanitics, although small neoniger feeding at extrafloral nectaries of and weak, begin foraging for food for the queen, peonies in flower beds near turf. ensuring that she will have enough nutrients to lay Ants, in general, are beneficial to turf- additional eggs. The queen then remains in the grass. They are important predators contributing nest and lays eggs that develop into normal work- to natural control of pest insects (2, 3). Ants are ers. The colony then grows rapidly during late the main predators of white grub eggs in the soil, spring and early summer as the ants enlarge their as well as eggs and small larvae of cutworms, sod foraging area and increasingly more brood and webworms, and other turf insects. Ants' burrow- workers are reared. Winged reproductive forms ing and nesting activities promote air and water are produced in late summer to complete the infiltration, and help to incorporate organic matter cycle. It is believed that once a nest is established, into the soil where the nutrients are available to the resident (old) queen may survive and lay eggs the grass roots. for more than one year. We determined the seasonal pattern of Ant-Aphid Mutualism mound-building by counting active L. neoniger Many ants obtain carbohydrates by feed- ing on honeydew that they obtain from aphids or other tiny insects that suck plant sap. The honey- dew, essentially sugary aphid excrement, is a complex mixture of nutrients including free amino acids and amides, minerals, and B-vitamins. Often the ants "tend" the aphids like dairy cattle and defend them from predators. When an ant strokes an aphid with its antennae, the aphid relin- quishes a sugary droplet from its anus. The ant swallows the droplet and carries it back to the nest where it is shared within the colony. Many ants obtain carbohydrates by feeding on honey- Lasius neoniger has a specific relationship dew that they obtain from aphids (such as the root with root-feeding aphids, Geoica spp., which they aphids shown above) or other tiny insects that suck maintain in their nests . The ants store and care plant sap. 2 University researchers measured the distance from the edge of puttings that ant mounds were found in an effort to understand the behavior of the turfgrass ant. for the aphid eggs over the winter, mixing them in efforts should be directed there, rather than spray- with their own.
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