Most Wanted Ants” ⦁ Flexible-Use Sites

THE INDUSTRY’S LEADING TECHNICAL JOURNAL SINCE 1933

MOST WA N T E D ANTS

Tetramorium immigrans spp. Camponotus ALIAS ALIAS Pavement ant Carpenter ant

Tapinoma sessile ALIAS Odorous house ant

Linepithema humile ALIAS Argentine ant

Solenopsis invicta ALIAS Red imported fire ant

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INSIDE: MW2 Word from our sponsor • MW3 Carpenter ants • MW4 Pavement ants MW5 Odorous house ants • MW6 Argentine ants • MW7 Red imported fire ants ADVERTORIAL WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

MGK helps PMPs in their ant control strategies By Dr. Ryan Neff

ith more than product that’s approved for outdoor ⦁ No signal 700 species of broadcast, you can be sure to word. Products ants in the United catch even hard-to-find nests. without a signal States, and a few ⦁ Long-lasting. Look at the product’s word have fewer Wdozen considered pests, it’s no residual. A longer timeframe means restrictions. surprise they are one of the highest the product remains hard at work Also, choose revenue-generating pests for pest even after you leave the customer’s products that management professionals (PMPs). property, so you get more time require minimal Ants can damage crops and between treatment intervals. personal building structures, and bite and ⦁ Effective. Certain ant species — protective DR. NEFF is the sting people. For some species, as you’ll see on the following pages equipment western technical field colony size can easily number in — are notoriously difficult to control. (PPE) — just a specialist for MGK. the thousands, and those kinds For example, Argentine ants and long-sleeved of numbers will have homeowners odorous house ants each can have shirt, long pants, socks and shoes. calling for immediate help. hundreds or thousands of queens Few ant infestations are alike, across numerous satellite nests; the A TRADITION but here are some guidelines to colony size alone makes effective OF INNOVATION ensure an effective treatment: treatment nearly impossible. In such MGK has been helping PMPs control ⦁ Identify the ant. Proper circumstances, you need a product pests for nearly a century, and identification of the species is key, that’s labeled for multi-queen species. continues to bring industry innovations and will inform your treatment plan. ⦁ Versatile. Check the product label. to the forefront, especially in the area ⦁ Set your strategy. The product Is it only approved for ants? If so, of ant control. This season, we’re and application method you choose choose a solution that controls a excited to introduce the revolutionary should be specific to the ant variety of pests. That way, you’ll Sumari Insecticide. This non-repellent, species you identified. be able to knock out all of your all-in-one solution boosts productivity ⦁ Don’t give up. Ants can be picky. customers’ problem pests with and gives PMPs more control to get it You might need to try multiple the same solution. right the first time: methods before achieving control. ⦁ Indoor/outdoor use and outdoor ⦁ Know your product. It’s important to broadcast understand how product formulations ⦁ 90-day residual differ, and which are most effective for ⦁ Kills multi-queen species the infestation you are managing. ⦁ Proven NyGuard IGR (insect Here are some important growth regulator) features that MGK’s ant control ⦁ No signal word products include: Visit MGK.com/Sumari for more ⦁ Nonrepellent. You can enhance ant control resources and additional the performance of your product information. nonrepellent by baiting the treated We are proud to partner with area. This ensures more ants will Pest Management Professional to encounter the treatment. sponsor this “Most Wanted Ants” ⦁ Flexible-use sites. Many of supplement. We hope you will find our products are labeled for use the following pages to be both both indoors or outdoors, saving informative and useful for your you material costs as well as business, making you even more space on your vehicle. With a successful in the coming year.

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Carpenter ants Camponotus spp.

DESCRIPTION occupying existing ⦁ The nest galleries some carpenter cavities/gaps in ant species cut into wood generally are exterior walls, smooth and clean, which is how they roofing, and interior earned the “carpenter” moniker. features. ⦁ Workers of invasive carpenter species ⦁ They often vary in size, among the smallest being excavate tunnels Two black carpenter ants (Camponotus those of C. nearcticus, which are 3/16 to and galleries in pennsylvanicus) engage in trophallaxis. 1/4 of an inch long. structural wood ⦁ Carpenter ants seen indoors are mostly that already is in a black; however, some species, such as state of decay due to retained moisture. C. vicinus, C. chromaiodes, and ⦁ They do not use wood for food. C. floridanus have reddish body ⦁ They establish nests in many different sections and/or leg segments. outdoor situations, such as tree trunks RANGE ⦁ Polymorphic workers for the larger and branches, stumps, logs, landscaping ➔ Various species vary in size, from 1/4- to 3/4-inch timbers, fenceposts and sometimes in species are long. covered soil. widespread ⦁ Indoor nests may be found in throughout the LIFE CYCLE windowsills, hollow doors, roofs, porch United States. ⦁ The queen is present in the primary substructures, baseboards, fireplaces, nest, which is located away from the shingles or other naturally hollow areas. PREVENTION home or infested structure. A hollow pipe may even serve as a nest. ➔ Eliminate ⦁ No egg-laying queen is present in the ⦁ Nesting activities may weaken building moisture and secondary, or satellite nests, which are structures, but not as seriously as termites. water sources; located within the structure. ⦁ In wooded areas, many colonies may be remove food ⦁ More than one satellite nest may be present around an infested home. sources by associated with different primary nests, ⦁ Carpenter ants often move into a keeping food and therefore, separate colonies. building solely to scavenge and feed. sealed; prune ⦁ Each colony typically has only one egg- ⦁ They may be carried into homes in shrubs and

laying queen. firewood, or enter and establish colonies trees so they ⦁ For most colonies, alates, or winged via other routes. do not touch reproductives, form in three to six years, ⦁ Foragers can enter homes via tree limbs the structure; at which time about 2,500 or more or wires that touch the house; thus the seal entry individuals will be present. nest may or may not be inside the home. points into ⦁ Populations within colonies vary; some structures; include more than 100,000 individuals. FOOD store firewood ⦁ Alates may be produced any time of the ⦁ Foraging ants will travel 100 yards or and lumber year, but usually develop in late summer. more from the nest for food. away from ⦁ During warm months, they will forage the home. BEHAVIOR most actively in early nighttime hours. ⦁ Although some carpenter ant ⦁ Carpenter ants feed on a variety of species (Camponotus modoc and C. animal and plant foods, and will feed on pennsylvanicus) excavate cavities in other living or dead insects. SOURCE structural wood and foamboard (EPS) ⦁ They will feed on nearly anything TRUMAN’S SCIENTIFIC GUIDE TO PEST MANAGEMENT insulation, most structure-invading people eat, including sweets. Aphid OPERATIONS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF, AND COPYRIGHTED BY, GENE WHITE, [email protected] WHITE, GENE AND COPYRIGHTED BY, OF, COURTESY PHOTO: [email protected]; WHITE, GENE AND COPYRIGHTED BY, OF, COURTESY PHOTOS: THE COVER, ON / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/GETTY DONATAS1205/ISTOCK OF NPMA; DEM10, COURTESY species are opportunistic nesters, honeydew is especially appealing.

mypmp.net Pest Management Professional • October 2020 MW3 M O S T WA N T E D ANTS

Pavement ant Tetramorium immigrans (previously T. caespitum)

numerous non-reproductive RANGE female workers. ➔ Pavement ⦁ Winged reproductive females ants are and males are produced in common early summer. throughout most ⦁ Most colonies are monogynous of the United — they are started by a single States, in the reproductive queen that carries Midwest and out all reproduction for the in the Pacific lifetime of that colony — but Northwest, they occasionally may have two, but they are or possibly more, queens. an occasional pest in southern BEHAVIOR states. ⦁ They prefer to nest in areas ➔ Its native with minimal vegetation, such range in Europe A pavement ant worker takes food as an urban habitat. is wide; at the back to share with its colony. ⦁ Nests usually are located beginning of the outdoors under stones, garden 19th century, it pavers, and pavement (asphalt was introduced DESCRIPTION and concrete). Nests also can be located into the United ⦁ This species is a small, 1/8- to under porches and foundation slabs. They States. 1/6-inch long, dark brown ant with occasionally are found in exterior walls, paler legs and antennae. under flooring, and in insulation. PREVENTION ⦁ On the head and thorax are visible ⦁ In homes with slab-on-grade ➔ Seal entry parallel lines, or ridges, that are the construction, foragers enter through points into same color as the cuticle; they give the cracks in the slab, expansion joints and structures, and cuticle a grooved texture. utility penetrations. remove food ⦁ A pair of small spines are at the back ⦁ Large-scale fights between non- sources by of the thorax. related pavement ant colonies are keeping food ⦁ The body has a sparse array of small common in the spring and beginning of sealed. hairs all over it. summer, when the ants are developing ⦁ The pavement ant’s stinger is used their territories. more for applying trailing pheromone ⦁ They move slowly and enter buildings and less for defensive purposes. in search of food. ⦁ Queens are larger, at 1/4- to 1/3-inch, and are dark brown. They also have a FOOD sculpted head and thorax. ⦁ Pavement ants prefer greasy and sweet materials, which means they will LIFE CYCLE respond at different times to either SOURCES ⦁ Pavement ants form large colonies sugar- or protein-based baits. TRUMAN’S SCIENTIFIC GUIDE TO PEST MANAGEMENT that often contain 3,000 to more than ⦁ Workers use pheromones to recruit OPERATIONS 10,000 workers. fellow workers to a food source, making UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, ⦁ INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND They have distinct castes, with one it possible for large groups of workers to AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

or a few reproductive queens, and take unwieldy food back to the colony. EXTENSION [email protected] WHITE, GENE AND COPYRIGHTED BY, OF, COURTESY PHOTO:

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Odorous house ant Tapinoma sessile

DESCRIPTION RANGE ⦁ The odorous house ant ➔ OHA are found (OHA) gives off a pungent, throughout the unpleasant rotten coconut United States odor when crushed, which and southern led to its common name. Canada; they ⦁ Monomorphic workers are common are 1/12- to 1/8-inch long, along the West and are brownish-black. Coast, Atlantic ⦁ OHA has a 12-segmented coastal and New antenna without a club. England regions, ⦁ They are monomorphic, and in the mid- or all of similar size. southern region ⦁ Frequently confused of the United with Argentine ants, OHA States. can be easily distinguished by its darker color and PREVENTION abdominal gaster that An OHA worker feeds on a bit of gel bait. ➔ Eliminate overhangs and hides its moisture and flattened pedicel. water sources; ⦁ OHA can be confused remove food with velvety tree ants (Liometopum sources by occidentale) because of the similar odor ⦁ Workers forage along regular trails. keeping food produced, but can be distinguished by ⦁ OHA use edges to guide them as they sealed; prune the velvety tree ant’s vertical node. move from place to place. Indoors, trees and ivy these can be siding, home foundations, so they do LIFE CYCLE baseboards, counters, wires or pipes. not touch the ⦁ Colonies are large, with several thousand Outdoors, these can be trees or vines. structure; seal workers and many active queens. ⦁ They may forage in tubes abandoned entry points into ⦁ Winged reproductives appear May by subterranean termites. structures; store through July. firewood and FOOD lumber away BEHAVIOR ⦁ OHA prefer sweet foods, such as from the home; ⦁ Nests are located indoors and sugars. They also will feed on dead move garbage outdoors, in a variety of situations. insects, pet food and grease. cans away from ⦁ Outside, nests are shallow and can be ⦁ Outdoors, OHA feed on aphid the structure. found under a board or stone. honeydew and nectar from flowers ⦁ OHA can be found in mulch, and and buds. under logs and rocks. ⦁ They move indoors late in the year ⦁ In structures, nests frequently can when honeydew, one of their primary SOURCES TRUMAN’S SCIENTIFIC GUIDE be found behind exterior sheathing/ foods, becomes less abundant. TO PEST MANAGEMENT siding and masonry, in the layered ⦁ Honeydew availability also may be OPERATIONS construction of exterior walls (especially reduced at other times, such as during and PENN STATE EXTENSION UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE under window sills), damp roofing, and after excessive rainfall. As a result, OHA EXTENSION

PHOTO: COURTESY OF, AND COPYRIGHTED BY, GENE WHITE, [email protected] WHITE, GENE AND COPYRIGHTED BY, OF, COURTESY PHOTO: under flooring and toilets. may move indoors in search of food.

mypmp.net Pest Management Professional • October 2020 MW5 M O S T WA N T E D ANTS

Argentine ant Linepithema humile

DESCRIPTION ⦁ Queens clean and feed themselves, RANGE ⦁ This species originated in Northern and are active in feeding and grooming ➔ The ants may Argentina near the Paraná River, and immatures. be found in most adapts well to urban and suburban ⦁ New colonies may be formed through regions with environments. “budding,” whereby some fertile queens Mediterranean ⦁ Argentine ants will persist where and some workers become isolated climates or with other species do not thrive. from other members of the colony and mild winters and ⦁ They may be the only ant species establish a new colony. moderate to high present in many locations. humidity. ⦁ Workers are very aggressive, and BEHAVIOR ➔ In the United often eliminate other ants in the area. ⦁ Nests usually are located near water States, they ⦁ Because different Argentine ant and food sources, in moist soil next to are common colonies may coexist in the same area, or under buildings, along sidewalks in coastal the number of colonies in an area may and brick or stone walkways, or under regions, such as be large. As a result, locating every nest boards and potted plants. California. may be challenging. ⦁ Backyard landscape features provide ⦁ Workers are 1/12- to 1/8-inch long, an ideal habitat. PREVENTION and are light to dark brown. They ⦁ Argentine ants use cracks and crevices ➔ Maintain have one segmented petiole and to gain entry to homes in search of proper sanitation 12-segmented antennae with no club. food or water. in homes and ⦁ Queens are 1/16- to 1/4-inch long. ⦁ Nests may be located within a yards; seal structure or other locations not entry points LIFE CYCLE typically considered soil-related, such into structures; ⦁ Many fertile queens are present in as under a bathtub set above a slab-on- and remove each nest, where they lay eggs. grade foundation; under the cracks or landscape ⦁ Because mating usually takes place expansion joints of slabs; or under the features (such inside the nest, winged forms typically insulation in an exterior wall void. as those that are not found. generate excess FOOD water) that ⦁ Argentine ants prefer sweet foods, provide ideal especially sugars, syrup, fruit juices, habitats. plant secretions, and honeydew. ⦁ Workers forage for food along paths extending out from the nest, branching out to explore every part of an area. ⦁ Foragers may enter homes in large numbers, particularly when conditions outdoors become too wet or dry. SOURCES ⦁ Foraging range is such that TRUMAN’S SCIENTIFIC GUIDE nests may be located in properties TO PEST MANAGEMENT adjacent to a customer’s yard OPERATIONS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA and home, making control RIVERSIDE, CENTER FOR INVASIVE SPECIES RESEARCH

An Argentine worker ant. challenging. OF NPMA PHOTO COURTESY

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Red imported fire ants Solenopsis invicta RANGE ➔ In the United DESCRIPTION States, RIFA can be ⦁ Solenopsis spp. fire ants are capable found in the Coastal of inflicting stings that can be serious; Plain areas of the the venom they inject causes a southern states, burning sensation, which is how they from South Carolina got their name. along the Atlantic ⦁ In the United States, four Coast into northern Solenopsis fire ant species can and central be found: red imported fire ant Florida, across the (RIFA, S. invicta), black imported southern states fire ant (S. richteri), southern fire RIFA workers scavenge for food. and into much of ant (S. xyloni), and tropical fire the eastern half of ant (S. geminata). Of these, most Texas. They also problematic encounters involve RIFA tub often offers access to soil), next are established and black imported fire ants. to water heaters or near other sources in the urban and ⦁ RIFA polymorphic workers are dark of warmth inside homes or buildings coastal areas of reddish-brown. Their size varies from such as hospitals or nursing homes, Southern California, 1/15 to 1/4 of an inch in length. especially in the winter. and outbreaks ⦁ They have either one reproductively occur in some of active queen per colony, which is known BEHAVIOR the desert cities as a monogynous colony, or many ⦁ Nests, with their characteristic earth between West reproductively active queens, which is mounds, are mostly found in soil. Texas and Southern known as a polygynous colony. However, they can occasionally be California. ⦁ Control may be more difficult in found indoors — in undisturbed piles ➔ Distribution in areas with multiple-queen colonies. of dirty laundry, for example. northern areas ⦁ The home range of large, polygynous ⦁ When their earth mounds are is limited by the colonies may be difficult to determine, disturbed, the workers appear to boil, severity of winter and the range of individual colonies or swarm, out of the ground in an conditions; they can overlap. aggressive defensive behavior. They are not found ⦁ Large colonies can have up to 500,000 will repeatedly sting any animal they where moderate workers that forage over an area with a consider to be an intruder. to hard frosts are radius of more than 100 yards. ⦁ They often can be found where common during people congregate, such as lawns, winter. LIFE CYCLE parks, cemeteries and ballfields. Their ⦁ Average-size yards may contain aggressive stinging behavior becomes PREVENTION several mounds, whereas larger yards intolerable in most situations. ➔ Seal entry may contain several dozen mounds. points into ⦁ Each mound may be inhabited by a FOOD structures. separate colony, which typically will be ⦁ RIFA are both predators and a monogynous colony, or one colony scavengers. They may attack and kill may occupy several distinct mounds other insects and small animals, or feed that are connected by underground on dead animals. SOURCES foraging tunnels. ⦁ They also feed on sweets, such as TRUMAN’S SCIENTIFIC GUIDE TO PEST MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS ⦁ Occasionally, the ants will nest honeydew, certain parts of plants, and USDA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

PHOTO: COURTESY OF, AND COPYRIGHTED BY, GENE WHITE, [email protected] WHITE, GENE AND COPYRIGHTED BY, OF, COURTESY PHOTO: under bathtubs (the slab under the plant secretions.

mypmp.net Pest Management Professional • October 2020 MW7 Make ant control simple, you said. So we did.

The grey image box, has the right curve for the left hand upper corner for you to bring your background image in. No image’s or copy should go beyond the grey box. Ask Alissa if something is bleeding off the edge other than the color/logo bar at the bottom. Deadly simple.

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See label for a complete list of pests controlled. Not for sale in California or New York.