[ANNUAL ANT CONTROL ISSUE] All about ants

Ants are fascinating creatures. They are found throughout the world in all kinds of climates, from the tropics to the subarctic, and more than 12,000 species exist around the globe, with many more still to be discovered. Here’s a sampling of “fun facts” about these intriguing insects, as well as practical insights about how PMPs can effectively manage this common structural pest.

Pestworldforkids.org features a game called “Archibald’s Adventure.” Fun Facts
PestWorldForKids.org is an entertaining, educational website developed by NPMA for students in grades K through 8. The site features a pest glossary, pest guide, downloadable factsheets, report writing center, science fair projects, lesson plans and games designed to teach children about insects and rodents in their natural habitats, and the health and property risks posed by pests once they find their way into the home. It also features a lot of “fun facts” about ants. Did you know:

• An ant can lift 20 times its own body weight. If a second grader were as strong as an ant, she would be able to pick up a car!
• Ants don’t have ears. Ants “hear” by feeling vibrations in the ground through their feet.
• When ants fight, it is usually to the death.
• Ants don’t have lungs. Oxygen enters through tiny holes all over the body and carbon dioxide leaves through the same holes.
• When foraging, ants leave a pheromone trail so that they know where they’ve been.
• When the queen of the colony dies, the colony can only survive a few months. Queens are rarely replaced and the workers are not able to reproduce.

Companies like Schendel Pest Services featured PestWorld for Kids on their blog, alerting its customers of this valuable educational resource from NPMA. To learn more about the site, visit www.pestworldforkids.org. 

Antz: The Movie
It’s hard to believe that it has been more than a decade since Antz, the first animated film from DreamWorks and the second computer-animated film released in the United States after Toy Story, was in theaters. Based loosely on Aldous Huxley’s classic book, Brave New World, Antz tells the story of a neurotic young ant that tries to break away from his totalitarian society while attempting to win the affection of the princess he loves.

The movie, which grossed more than $170 million throughout the world, featured a star-studded cast of some of the biggest names in Hollywood at the time. Can you recall who gave voice to the lead character? Here’s a clue, he’s well-known for his “neurotic” roles. (The answer appears on the next page.)

While you’re considering who played the voice of Z, the individualistic star of Antz, can you name other Hollywood heavyweights who participated in this high-profile project? Here’s a list, in no particular order, so as not to offend any of their press agents: Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Sylvester Stallone, Jennifer Lopez, Dan Aykroyd, Danny Glover, Anne Bancroft and Christopher Walken. Talk about a “Who’s Who” of Tinseltown! (Z answer: Woody Allen)

Ants & Evolution
Some urban entomology research does not provide practical control solutions, but simply explains more about the evolutionary history or reasons behind the behavior of certain pests. Such is the case with some interesting research out of Purdue University about odorous house ants. Grzegorz Buczkowski, a Purdue University research assistant professor of entomology, found that odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile) colonies become larger and more complex as they move from forest to city and act somewhat like an invasive species. The ants live about 50 to a colony with one queen in forest settings but explode into supercolonies with more than six million workers and 50,000 queens in urban areas.

Buczkowski theorizes that in forest settings, where odorous house ant nests can be small enough to fit inside a hollow acorn, the ants face competitors that force them into literally smaller niches.  In urban habitats, however, the odorous house ant has prospered with little interference from its normal competitor ants.

Marion Smith, a graduate student in entomology in the 1920s first proposed expanding the then common name “odorous ant” to the “odorous house ant” in a paper published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America in 1928 (Ann. ESA 21:307-330). He noted that during the mid 1920s this ant had become the most important pest ant in homes in Illinois, but that the phenomenon appeared to be of recent origin, hence it deserved being called a house ant. 
 
While many or most of our indoor ant pests are exotic species, the OHA is an exception. Its native American heritage shows how adaptable insects are, and how structures can function in some ways as an “exotic land” enabling even native insects to escape their competitors and natural enemies. This insight may not make you a better PMP, but hopefully will give you a better appreciation of this common urban ant. – Mike Merchant, Insects in the City

Harborage Hot Spots
Performing a thorough inspection is critical to controlling ants. But where do you start? Checking out the following sites is a good place to start:

Carpets: Most structure-infesting ants like to trail under the edge of carpets. A good place to start an inspection is in front of any fireplaces and sliding glass doors. Then, inspect along the walls under the carpet beside the tack strip. When you find foraging ants, try to trail them back to their colony location.
Foundations: When you find ants along exterior walls, look for colonies living in the soil next to the foundation.
Vegetation: Be aware that ants like to nest and forage in trails out of sight behind any vegetation that rests against foundations, patios and similar structures. Pull back the vegetation to look for ants. And attempt to follow any foraging ants back to their colony.
Ground Surfaces: Items and debris sitting on the ground could harbor ant colonies. Check under all items, especially those near the foundation of a building.
Mulch: Mulch and other ground covers often harbor numerous colonies of ants such as pavement ants, fire ants, crazy ants and Argentine ants. To check for colonies, rake mulch back from the foundation.
(Source: Tech)