Ant Control

Ants are very social insects that usually live in permanent nests which can range from a few dozen, to millions of individuals.   Larger colonies consist mostly of sterile wingless females which form castes of ‘workers’.  These perform specific tasks such as feeding and caring for the immature forms.   Nearly all ant colonies have have fertile males called ‘drones’ and one or more fertile females called ‘queens’.

Most species of ants have 3 distinct body segments: head, thorax and abdomen.  Ants have compound eyes and elbowed antennae.  The elbowed antennae and the constricted abdominal segment make ants distinct in their physical appearance when compared to other insects.

FACTS ABOUT ANTS

• there are over 12,000 species of ants worldwide
• the “bullet ant” is said to have the most painful sting in the world
• the ant is one of the worlds strongest creatures in relation to its size.  A single ant can carry 50 times its own body weight
• Ants don’t have ears, they listen by feeling vibrations from the ground through their feet.
• Based on the estimated worldwide ant population, for every human there is between 150,000 and 1.5 million ants

COMMON ANT SPECIES

Argentine Ant – these ants are slender, brown in colour and between 1.5 – 3.0 mm long.   They travel in slow moving, well-defined trails up to 3 or more ants wide and are able to climb over anything placed in their way. They usually nest outside in the base of tree trunks, around the edges of buildings and paths,m and in lawns.  They may move indoors in wet weather.  Argentine ants prefer sweet foods, but may also eat meat and dead insects.

Black House Ant – approx 2.5 – 3.0 mm long and dark black in colour with a sometimes subtle purpleish-green iridescence.  These ants can bite, and produce a distinctive strong odour when crushed.   Black House ants nest outside around the edges of paths, rockeries and building, but also commonly nest indoors in ceilings, wall cavities and subfloors.   They prefer sweet foods but will eat a wide variety of foodstuffs.

Carpenter Ant – one of Australia’s most common and widespread ants, brown to pale brown in colour, species can range in size from 2.5 – 14 mm.  Carpenter ants commonly nest in soil, between rocks, in decaying wood and among plant roots but rarely enter houses.