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 LARGE YELLOW ANT
Acanthomyops
Yellow ant workers are between 1/8 and 1/4 inch
long; reproductives are larger. They have one node
and are yellow or tan in color. Yellow ant workers and
reproductives emit a lemon or citronella odor from the
head. This can be detected when the head is crushed.
If the abdomen is crushed, a strong formic acid odor
is produced.
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZED ANTS
(1/8 inch or slightly larger)
Acrobat Ants (Crematogaster)
Worker ants measure around 1/8 inch long. The
ant has two nodes; it is shiny-brown to nearly-black in
color. The workers appear to have their abdomens
attached upside down: flat on top, "bellied" below,
Workers forage outside in lawns, fields and open
woodland. Colonies are sometimes located next to or
and pointed at the tip. When excited they point their
under basement slabs; in late winter, workers will
abdomens up or even over their heads, hence, their
excavate the soil and enter through cracks in the slab.
name. Acrobat ants are common over most of the
They commonly pile their anthill on concrete or
United States. There are many species.
between cracks in basement floor covering. If
undisturbed, many hills may appear. Winged ants
occasionally swarm from these hills, but workers do
not forage inside.
Vacuuming the soil hills is recommended,
Treatment of yellow ant hills outside near the building
foundation may be indicated in the spring with repeat
cases.
ALLEGHENY MOUND ANT
Acrobat ants tend aphids and mealybugs for
honeydew and also feed on other insects. They usually
Formica exsectoides
establish their colonies in or under rotting logs and
Allegheny Mound worker ants are over 1/4 inch
stumps in nature and sometimes live in abandoned
long. These large black and red ants are found in the
carpenter ant galleries if the wood is damp enough.
eastern United States making mounds often up to two
They can also engrave their own small galleries in wet
feet high. More common in mountains than at coastal
roof boards, house siding, porch rafters, pillars, sill
elevations, these ants forage actively around their
plates, any part of a structure where the wood does not
mounds which often are interconnected. They are
completely dry out. Like Pavement ants, Acrobat ant
harmless ants and never forage inside. All efforts
colonies occasionally dump their refuse. It consists of
should be made to educate the public NOT t o
tiny wood shavings like those of the Carpenter ant.
destroy these ants.
[The difference between Acrobat ant and Carpenter ant
shavings is that those of the Acrobat ant are smaller
FIRE ANT
and always dark stained from fungus.] Acrobat ants
Solenopsis
may feed inside in kitchens.
Several species of fire ants will sting. The most
Inspection
common has a reddish color and is a mound builder.
Fire ants are found in North Carolina south to Florida
Look where structural wood has been subjected to
and west to Texas. Fire ant controls are recommended
water leaks:
by state University Extension offices in each county
the porch roof near the house, porch
where they are a problem. These ants are rare in
floors, siding where gutters overflow,
homes.
ends of rafters in the shade, sills, and
Module One, Chapter 3, Pg 7
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