Looking at ants
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from March 1984.
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THIS ant is so small it may often escape the naked eye even though prevalent around the kitchen sink or cabinets. Unobservant people may complain about the flavour of food without realising that the food is infested with thief ants. The ant nests in cracks and crevices of walls and cabinets. It is very persistent and difficult to control.
ARGENTINE ANT (Iridomyrmex humilis) is a severe pest, heavy infestations can occur in the home. It does not sting but can bite severely. Workers are from 2.2 to 2.8 mm in length and are light to dark brown in colour. Queens are much larger, being 4 to 6 mm long. Many fertile queens are present in each nest and apparently live in harmony with each other. Mating usually takes place inside the nest so that the winged forms are not usually found. The queen, in addition to laying eggs, also cleans and feeds herself and is active in feeding and grooming the young. The sole function of the winged male is fertilising the queen, and is eliminated promptly from the nest after this.
NESTS are built in moist situations such as in the soil, next to buildings and along sidewalks, beneath boards and plants and under buildings. These nests are usually made near a good source of both water and food. This ant prefers sweet foods, principally such things as sugars, syrup, fruit juices, secretions of plants and honeydew from aphids, scale insects and other insects. The ants forage for food along regular paths extending out from the nest and then branch out to explore every portion of an area. They enter houses in large numbers particularly when conditions outside the building are either too wet or too dry for them to live easily.
This ant tolerates man and the city environment and will persist where other species of ants will not thrive. In many locations it may be the only ant species present. The workers are very aggressive and often eliminate other ants in the area. However, different Argentine and colonies in the same area are friendly and do not fight. The ant is an exceedingly adaptable insect, which contributes to its success.
PHARAOH ANT (Monomoium pharaonis) is yellow to red, and is from 1.5 to 2mm long. It is one of the most important ant pests in the home because its small size enables it to get into almost anything, and because of its food preference which ranges over a wide variety of substances such as syrups, fruit juice, pies, deadinsects and meats. It is predacious on many insects and has been found in large numbers in hospitals.
NESTS are found between walls, under floors, above ceilings, behind baseboards, or outside in gardens. The nests are frequently very difficult to find since the ants range widely from them, usually over established trails which can be seen along window sills and baseboards. This ant is also difficult to control. It has the faculty for appearing all of a sudden in various places within the house and getting into things.
COLONIES may be very large (up to 300,000) with many queens in a given colony. The mature sexual forms are winged and they mate and go through the usual life cycle. Mating occurs in the nest throughout the year. New colonies are formed when a group of queens and workers split from the mother colony. Swarms are never seen.
CONTROL of ants depends greatly upon the species involved and also upon the nature and location of the infestation. If an ant colony is established within the structure, killing the exposed workers seldom gives permanent relief from the pests for the reproductives will continue to produce more workers. A chemical barrier is effective for ants nesting outdoors that are invading the building for food, but this barrier is only temporary. Workers from the nest outdoors will again invade the building when the chemical residue becomes ineffective. Destruction of the nest provides permanent relief from that particular colony.
SEVERAL insecticide formulations are useful in ant control - sprays, dust, granules and baits. Aerosols are effective only to knock down and kill swarmers indoors. Sprays are usually effective and should be used where possible. However there is evidence that ants will avoid areas treated with certain kinds of insecticides, and if other routes to food and water are found then poor control will result. No matter what insecticide you use READ THE MANUFACTURER'S LABEL CAREFULLY and at all times keep them out of sight from children.
