PEST

NAME
Ants (General)
Various Species

ORDER
Hymenoptera

FAMILY
Formicidae

Description of the Pest
Ants are socially organized, living in colonies that can be found underground, in logs or in ant hills. Ant colonies normally consist of three castes, female, male and sterile workers. The queen lays eggs and is winged until it mates. The males are winged and seek females to mate with. A colony may have only one queen, or there may be many queens depending on the species. Ants are easily recognised by a swollen node at the end of a long narrow waist, (waist) or by there elbowed antennae. Ants may also have more than one nest and workers form trails or tunnels, over some distance to service the colonies. Many species of ants have poison sacks &/or stingers in for defence against their many predators. Ants vary in length from about 1 to 30 mm & are typically black, brown, red, yellow or a combination of these colours.

     Elbowed antennae

Note
There are many species of ants and it should be recognised that ants can be beneficial as well as a pest. There are only a few species that damage plants or turf.

     Ant Jaws

Red Bulldog Ant(Myrmecia gulosa) is large and primitive, having a less complicated social organization. They are also fighters (pugnacious) and have large mandibles that can bite causing a painful sting.


Winged QueenGolden Spiny Ant

Golden Spiny Ant(Polyrachis ammon) is a medium size insect with a black body and marked with a bright golden patch on the back of the thorax and abdomen. They also have four spines on the thorax and node.

Argentine Ant(Linepithema humile) is a tiny brown ant to 3mm long and has become a pest in many areas feeding on a variety of materials and is easily recognised as it travels along defined trails.

Black-headed Sugar Ant(Camponotus nigroceps) is a large ant with a reddish thorax and legs and a black head. The queen is winged and its bite has no sting.

Honey Pot Ant(Camponotus inflin) is small and some workers are stuffed with food until they cannot move and are used as a living food container.

Life Cycle
Ants have a complete metamorphosis (Holometabolous egg, larva, pupa and adult). The queen remains in a chamber and deposits eggs, nests may have more than one queen. The legless lava emerges and is feed by workers until they enter the pupal stage. After pupating they become worker ants, males or future queens. Workers tend to the colonies needs, such as constructing tunnels, collecting food, looking after the queen and eggs. They also defend the nest.
Ants overwinter in all stages of the life cycle in there nest.

Distribution of the Pest
Ant activity is found throughout the year in tropical regions but is more active during the warmer months in temperate regions. They are distributed by the adults flying to new areas to form colonies and are transported in infested pots or other materials such as turf sods.

Period of Activity
All year

Damage Caused
Ants cause plant damage in several ways, such as chewing on leaf margins causing minor damage or collecting and destroying seeds. Ants have formed many associations with insects which produce honey dew such as Aphids, leaf hoppers and some scales and lerps, and can interfere with biological controls.
Ants are predators of many insects and larvae such as caterpillars. A balance is required depending on the species of the plant under attack and in the garden ants should be left alone.

Ants tending Lerps Ants tending Mealybugs

Potted plants commonly have nests established in the base of the pot and disrupt water saturation of the soil.

Funnel Ants(Aphaenogasterspecies) cause turf grass to die by removing the soil around the roots and creating mounds above soil level. These nests restrict the available water to the roots and have a simular affect as a drought.

Fire Ants(Solenopsis invicta) are a serious pest of agriculture and horticulture as they attack and sting repetitively after being disturbed creating problems for people in the field.

Susceptible Plants
There is a wide range of ornamental plants such as Wattles that become infested with ants and are associated with insects that produce honey dew.
Container plants or indoor plants are commonly infested resulting in a decline of vigour.

Samanea samanis attacked by (Myrmelachista ramulorum), an ant that defoliates and deforms leaves by burrowing into the twigs.


Ants on Eucalyptusspecies Ants eating insect

Control

Cultural Control
Young or sensitive trees may be banded with sticky traps, glue or grease to inhibit the access of ants tending other sap sucking insects and allowing natural predators such as ladybirds to control insect infestations. Weed control under trees or the removal of debris and food scraps also reduces ant infestations. Container plants can be emersed in water to rid them of ants.

Biological
Ants are an important component of the ecosystem and although a wide range of animals feed on ants none are commercially available.
Chemical Control
There are various chemical methods to deter ants, such as poring turps into the nest or spraying a mixture of kerosene and detergent around the nest. Ants may also be sprayed with a contact insecticide.
Baits can be used to control ants
Note
It is your responsibility by law to read and follow the directions of any pesticide

Monitoring
Pitfall traps
Amendments by B. Sonsie Dip Hort Sc Burnley