Ant Food Preferences: The Key to Solving Difficult Problems Philip G. Koehler Margie and Dempsey...

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Ant Food Preferences: The Key to Solving Difficult

Problems

Philip G. Koehler

Margie and Dempsey Sapp Endowed Professor of Urban Entomology

University of Florida

Ants vs Cockroaches

• Ants– Queen– Males– Workers– Larvae

• Cockroaches– Females– Males– Nymphs

This is a Queen!!!

And This is a Winged Queen.

Thousands of Queens!!

Concepts of Baiting• Placement so that ants find them

• Particles small enough for small ants

• Foods that ants prefer

• Slow acting poisons to allow trophallaxis (regurgitation and feeding others)

F orag erS te rile fem a les

Q u een Ten d erY ou n g W orker

Q u eenE g g P rod u cer

E g g s

L arvae

W orkers

3-4 days

1-5 months

Multiple Queens cause most Failures

Q u een

W orker

Q u een

W orker

Q u een

E g g s

XXPharaohGhostWhite-footedFire antArgentine

Food Preference

• Sweet feeders -- climb shrubs and trees for honeydew• Protein feeders -- on porches and window ledges feeding

on dead insects attracted to lights• Lipid (oil) feeders -- in lawns feeding on seeds • Do not consume wood

Sugar Peanut oil Crickets

Bait by Ant Food Preference

• Sweet feeders— baits for these ants contain sugars or syrups

• Protein feeders— made of ground silkworm pupae

• Lipid feeders— usually contain peanut butter or soybean oil

Protein Sugar Oil

Pharaoh Ant = Window ledges

Break Area with Ant Foraging on Table

Break Area with Ants Foraging on

Counter

Office with Ants Foraging in

Papers

Window Ledges surround Entire Building

Window ledge

Courtyard

Window Ledge next to Shrubs

Pharaoh Ant Trail on Window Ledge

Food Sources placed on Counter in Break Area

Food Sources placed on Desk in Office

Food Sources placed on Window Ledge

Food Sources on Counter 45 Minutes Later

0 ants

Food Sources on Office Desk 45 Minutes Later

35 ants 3 ants 1 ant

3 ants 1 ant

Desk 45 Minutes Later

35 ants

Window Ledge45 Minutes Later

53 ants19 ants15 ants

Window Ledge 45 Minutes Later

53 ants

19 ants15 ants

Counter in Break Area 45 Minutes Later

0 ants

Desk45 Minutes Later

35 ants 17 ants 7 ants

Window Ledge45 Minutes Later

53 ants13 ants 12 ants

Window Ledge13 ants

53 ants

Total Pharaoh Ants at Food and Baits

Break counter Office desk Window ledge0

• Primarily feed on dead insects on window sills, ledges, and porches.

• Also, feed on sugars and oils.

• Can be controlled by baiting at windows and porches without even entering house.

Pharaoh Ant Summary

Crazy Ants = Sweets

Loading Dock Area

Crazy ant nest

Back Entrance Next to Loading Dock

Crazy ant nest

Soda cans

Nest Entrance Next to Wall

Foods Placed Next to Wall on Loading Dock

Food on Loading Dock45 Minutes Later

Sucrose

Crazy Ants

Crazy Ant Summary

• Feed on sweets.

• Like to nest under slabs and other protected areas.

• Placement of sweet baits close to nest guarantees control.

Carpenter ants = Trees and voids

Daytime Inspection of Business Office

Sticky traps help pinpoint areas of activity

8 antsDrink cups

Daytime Inspection of

Business Office

Are they entering for water?

Business Office

8 ants

Business Office

Water also is available in potted plants

6 ants

Business Office

Greatest number of ants caught next to copier

12 ants

Business Office

Looks like areas where ants leave the building, there are a few dead ants on the ledge

Ant bone-yard on window track

Trees look like potential harborage sites

Particularly hollows and tree holes

Holes in caulk look like nest sites

Night-time Inspection of

Business Office

Ants on floors and on papers

Night-time Inspection of Business Office

Night-time Inspection of

Business Office

Ants leaving through window behind copier and crawling along window ledge

Night-time Inspection of Window Ledge

Ants Entering Hole in Caulk

Carpenter Ant Nests

Nest entrance

Main Nest entrance

Satellite Nest

Foods Placed Next to Copier

Food Sources2 hours later

Empty Some left Untouched

Restocked Food

Sources

4 ants

0 ants 0 ants

Baits Next to Copier20 minutes later

3 ants 0 ants 0 ants

Solution to Carpenter Ant Problem

Carpenter Ant Summary

• Prefer sweets and dead insects.

• Night-time inspections critical for control.

• Find and destroy nest.

Ghost Ant = Trails

Ghost Ants in Whitefly Rearing

LaboratorySweet potato whitefly on sweet potato

Corner beside Whitefly Chamber

Drop Ceiling above

Whitefly Chamber

Entrance to nest

Food in Corner next to Whitefly Chamber

Ants on Baits

Ghost ants do not forage far from trails

Cricket right on trail

Sucrose far from trail

0 ants 9 ants

Ants on Cricket

Foods have to be Placed Right on Ghost Ant Trail

21 ants

Baits in Corner

Ghost Ants onBait

87 ants0 ants

0 ants

Ghost Ant Summary

• Feed on sugars and dead insects.

• Very strong trail followers, and baits must be placed right on trail.

• Follow trails to nest.

Fire Ants = Mounds in Lawn

Nest near Trees in Landscape

Nest next to Greenhouse

Fire Ants next to Front Entrance

Fire Ants next to Doorway to Office

Fire Ants in Hallway

Weather seal in window is destroyed

Ant bait station in hall

Termite swarmer

Nests near Greenhouses

Food Sources placed next to Greenhouse

Food Sources placed next to Greenhouse5 Minutes Later

4 ants78 ants0 ants

78 ants

Baits placed next to Greenhouse

Ants Must Return to Nest to Recruit Others 5 Minutes Later

Watch this ant

Baits placed next to Greenhouse30 Minutes Later

Ant is still there

Fire Ants

5 minutes 30 minutes

Bait Piled on Fire Ant Mound

Broadcast Application of Fire Ant Bait

Fire Ant Summary

• Prefer oil based baits

• Broadcast applications of baits are most efficient.

Summary of Ant Feeding

• Pharaoh ant ** *** *• Crazy ant ***• Ghost ant *** **• Carpenter ant *** **• Fire ant * ** ***

Sugar Protein Oil

Sugar = Honeydew

Aphids Mealybugs

Pyrocantha near Entrance to Building

Shrubs Surrounding

Structure

Block Ant Access to Aphids

Aphids

Sticky barriers

Residual Insecticides

Foliar sprays

Soil drench or injection

Ghost ants

Imidacloprid (Merit) a systemic that kills

honeydew-producing

insects on plants

Foliar Sprays

Barriers Applied to Bark of Trees and

Shrubs

• Residual insecticide barriers

• Sticky Barriers – Tak-trap

Insecticide or sticky barrier

Baits Placed below Barriers on Bark

Bait system

Baits Placed Below Barrier

Bait system

Aphids

Tree and shrub imidacloprid drench to kill sucking insects

Soil drench

Imidacloprid

Translocation from roots

Fire Ant

Carpenter Ant

Big-headed Ant

Acrobat Ant

Ghost Ant

Pharaoh Ant

Argentine Ant

White-footed Ant

Crazy Ant

Perimeter Residual Barriers

Treat Ant Nesting Sites:Voids

Ant Food Preferences: The Key to Solving Difficult Problems Philip G. Koehler Margie and Dempsey...

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