General Overview
Ants are among the most successful of all insects. There are about seven different species which are of the most concern to southeast Georgia: Carpenter Ants, Fire Ants, Pharaoh Ants, Acrobat Ants, Argentine Ants, Crazy Ants, and Odorous House Ants. Like termites, they are social insects and live in colonies. Ant colonies include a collection of workers, one or more reproductives, eggs, larvae, and pupae, and adults. Many species prefer to nest in the ground; others will be found in wood, such as dead logs, fence posts, hollow trees, or even wood within structures. Unlike termites, ants do not eat wood, they merely hollow out portions of it known as galleries. Many adult male and female species are winged, as are adult termites. Most structure infesting species either do not have the ability to sting or retain it only to a limited degree. However, many tropical ants from the tropical regions, some of which have been introduced into the United States, are particularly serious pests because of their ability to sting. This sting involves piercing the skin with the ovipositor, a structure located in the tip of the abdomen of females. Venom secreted by a gland associated with the ovipositor not only creates rapid, intense pain but also may cause serious, even life threatening, allergic reactions in some people.


Life Cycle
Ants have a complete metamorphosis comprised of
four stages: egg, larvae, pupa, and adult. Eggs are almost
microscopic in size. After the eggs hatch, the larval stage
emerges. Soon after, most species will become encased
in a silk cocoon which is then known as the pupal stage.
Often times when a nest is disturbed, the adults are seen
moving these pupae which many people mistake for eggs.
The worker caste is comprised of strictly females which
feed and care for the eggs, larvae, pupae, and the queen.


Feeding Habits
Some ant species feed on a wide variety of food items, while others typically feed on a rather narrow range of foods. Food preferences may also change significantly during the course of a season, especially for outdoor species, or depending on the specific needs of the colony. Periods of high egg production typically require foraging ants to bring back proteins to the queen or queens, while at other times foragers may prefer to gather sugars or greases for their own energy needs or to promote larval growth. Foraging ants bring food or water back to the colony and pass it to other nest-tending workers by a mouth-to-mouth process called trophalaxis. Nest-tending workers then pass the food to larvae or the queens. Workers may stimulate the larvae to regurgitate liquid food for use within the colony.
Carpenter ants are large and typically blackish or very dark bodied. Many are black, with some having a reddish coloration. Outdoor nest include stumps, hollow logs, fence posts, or other large pieces of wood. Indoor nest are usually found in hollow doors, windows sill, roofs or other hollow areas.Fire ants are so called because of their venom injected by their stinger which causes intense irritation, severe reactions, or even death in sensitive people. The red imported fire ant is know to make large earthen mound. When the mounds are disturbed, ants appear to boil or swarm out aggressively.Pharaoh ants are light yellowish to reddish brown. Their small size allows them to get into almost anything. When treating for this species, traditional sprays should not be used because they will cause them to bud and create a worse problem than before. Only non-repelant chemicals should be used.
Acrobat ants will hold their abdomen over their body when excited, hence the name acrobat ant. They range in color from yellowish brown to red and black to black. They have a heart shaped abdomen flattened on the upper side and curved below. They often nest in decayed wood around windows and doors.Argentine ants are light to dark brown in color. Nests are typically found in moist soil around buildings, sidewalks, or other objects lying on the ground. Foragers may enter structures in large numbers, particularly when conditions outside become too wet or too dry.Crazy ant workers are dark brown in color with long legs and antennae. Their habit of running around aimlessly about accounts for its name. There is usually no distinct trail, only thousands of workers running around sporadically. This species usually nests in cracks, crevices, and voids inside.Odorous house ants are brownish black in color. They are often confused with argentine ants. They can be identified by a rotten coconut smell when crushed. Nests are found underneath boards, stones, or other objects lying around on the ground. Trails of this species can be extremely numberous.
Carpenter
Fire
Pharaoh
Acrobat
Argentine
Crazy
Odorous House
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