ANTS: Facts, Fiction, and Control

Eleanor Spicer Rice

NCSU Entomology Department

First, let’s check some facts . . .

First, let’s check some facts . . .TEAM NAME __________________________________TEAM MEMBERS _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________

Question 1 (circle one): TRUE FALSE

Question 2: TRUE FALSE

Question 3: TRUE FALSE

Question 4: TRUE FALSE

Question 5: TRUE FALSE

Question 6: A B

Question 7: A B C

Question 8 (circle two): A B C D

BONUS: ____________________________________________

Fill out your sheetsas we go along!

Question 1:True/False

Most ants are pests.

Question 2:True/False

All ants have nests.

There is an Argentine ant colony right now with trillions of workers that spans nearly 4,000 miles.

Question 3:True/False

Ant workers are both male and female.

Question 4:True/False

Smaller ants never grow up to be bigger ants in the colony.

Question 5:True/False

Which of the following two choices is an effective home remedy for killing fire ants:

A. dumping grits on the nest

B. dumping a pot of boiling water

on the nest

Question 6:Pick A or B

Which of the following pest ant species relies least on trailing pheromones to gather food?

A. Sugar ants (Argentine and odorous house),

B. Little Black Ants (Monomorium minimum),

C. Carpenter ants

Question 7:Pick A, B, or C

Choose the two substances that are MOST attractive to ants out of the following list:

A. Protein

B. Fiber

C. Carbohydrates

D. Lipids (fats)

Question 8:Pick A, B, C, or D

Bonus question:

1. Which is the closest relative of ants?

2. Which is the closest relative of termites?

Cockroach Wasp House fly Dragonfly

Hand in your sheets!

Let’s see how you did . . .

Question 1:True/False

Most ants are pests.FALSE!!!!!FALSE!!!!!

Most ant species are NOT pests!

Total Ant Species

Non-pest Species

Pest Species

>30,000

<100

What do they do?

Pollintation

Plant protectionSoil aeration

Maintain ecological balanceand biodiversity

Seed planting

And much more!

Question 2:True/False

All ants have nests.FALSE!!!!!FALSE!!!!!

Some ants don’t need a nest!

• Army ants and driver ants

• >200 species

• Move non-stop

There is an Argentine ant colony right now with trillions of workers that spans nearly 4,000 miles.

Question 3:True/False

It’s true!It’s true!

Argentine ants have supercolonies!

• ~4,000 miles in Europe

• Several in U.S.

• No supercolonies in Argentina

• Why?

What happens when Argentine ants invade?

What happens when Argentine ants invade?

What happens when Argentine ants invade?

What happens when Argentine ants invade?

Argentina United States

How can you treat a supercolony?

1. Try to get everybody on board

2. Try to be thorough

3. Tailor your bait to your ant

Ant workers are both male and female.

Question 4:True/False

FALSE!!!!!FALSE!!!!!

All ant workers are female!

• Ant colonies have:– A queen (or queens)– Workers (all female)– Males

• So what do males do?

What about termites?

• Termite workers are both male and female

Smaller ants never grow up to be bigger ants in the colony.

Question 5:True/False

It’s true!It’s true!

Small ants do NOT grow up to be big ants!

• Ants have complete metamorphosis (egglarva pupaadult)

Small ants do NOT grow up to be big ants!

• Ants have complete metamorphosis (egglarva pupaadult)

• What are small ants?

What are small ants?

Either:

1. They’re just little!

or

2. They received different food as larvae.

Which of the following two choices is an effective home remedy for killing fire ants:

A. dumping grits on the nest

B. dumping a pot of boiling water

on the nest

Question 6:Pick A or B

Why grits don’t work:

• Grits aren’t deadly

• Ants cannot process grits alone

• Why do grits “work” for some people?

Why boiling water does work:

• Nobody can withstand boiling water

• The best time to do it: 6 o’clock PM

• Adding detergent or salt increases death rate

Why the water must be boiling:

Which of the following pest ant species relies least on trailing pheromones to gather food?

A. Sugar ants (Argentine and odorous house)

B. Little Black Ants (Monomorium minimum)

C. Carpenter ants

Question 7:Pick A, B, or C

Ants forage differently

• Carpenter ants use sight, trails, and tandem running

• Sugar ants and little black ants use trails

• Asian needle ants carry each other

You can use foraging behavior to decide treatment

• Clumping increases effectiveness for trailers

• Scattering increases effectiveness for eyesight foragers

• What about for carrying ants?

Choose the two substances that are MOST attractive to ants out of the following list:

A. Protein

B. Fiber

C. Carbohydrates

D. Lipids (fats)

Question 8:Pick A, B, C, or D

Ants prefer protein and carbs

Proteins Carbohydrates

Ants prefer protein and carbs

• Dietary preferences change with the seasons

• Tailoring treatment for the seasons can increase effectiveness

Season Carbohydrates Protein

Spring

Summer

Fall

Ants prefer protein and carbs

• Dietary preferences change with the seasons

• Tailoring treatment for the seasons can increase effectiveness

• You can also tailor your bait to determine treatment area

Bonus question:

1. Which is the closest relative of ants?

2. Which is the closest relative of termites?

Cockroach Wasp House fly Dragonfly

May I answer any of YOUR questions?

Insecticide Trial for ANA• Tested for speed

and efficacy

• 0.5 grams of product to 50 ants

• Recorded # dead for 10 days

Insecticide Trial: ResultsP

rop

ort

ion

ind

ivid

ua

ls d

ea

d

Insecticide Trial: Results

Pro

po

rtio

n in

div

idu

als

de

ad

Extinguish Plustreatment showedhighest and fastest mortality

Maxforce FG andComplete treatments are effective over time

Advion and Optigard are also effective

Insecticide Trial: Bottom Line

• This is a lab trial, under controlled conditions

• It is recommended to use a variety of products for maximum efficacy

THANK YOU• Charles Pate

• ElRay Roper

• Janet Kintz-Early

• Mike Waldvogel and the NCSU Entomology Department

• You!