|
|
White Footed Ant
Characteristics –
Size: About 1/8-inch long. Color: Black, with pale segments at the
end of all six legs, giving it its name.
Behavior – White-footed ants may develop huge colonies containing
thousands of workers and numerous queens. A colony of white-footed ants
can number up to one million individuals. This species may be difficult to
control and does not feed much on ant baits. The keys to control are to
find the colonies and subcolonies and treat them directly with residual
insecticide. Regular inspections and treatment are necessary to find and
treat new colonies as they move from neighboring properties.
Habitat – The white-footed ant is a serious pest in southern
Florida and on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. These ants nest outdoors under
items on the ground, within landscape mulch, beneath loose bark on trees,
under ground cover, in potted plants, and within piles of items, such as
lumber, firewood, or bricks. Nests may also be readily established inside
homes in walls, beneath carpeting, and in other suitable voids or spaces.
Tips for Control – The white-footed ant may well be the most
difficult to control of all structure-infesting ants. In many situations
elimination of ant activity is nearly impossible, especially during
mid-summer in areas where this ant occurs (Florida and Hawaii). At best,
regular treatments hold the ants at bay, keeping as few ants as possible
from entering the home or business. Without such efforts, however, the
numbers of ants seen inside can rise into the thousands. Regular pest
control treatments can help reduce the numbers of ants seen inside. It is
especially important to seal as many cracks in the homes exterior as
possible to exclude ants and other pests.
Suggested Control Products
Maxforce FC Ant Bait
Stations
Advance Dual Choice
Delta Dust
PermaDust
|
