[Technically Speaking] Follow the Trail to Success

For most pest management companies, ants are still the No. 1 consumer pest and can be one of the most difficult to eradicate (if that’s possible) from an account. Difficulty and/or failure to manage ant problems typically results from our failure to find and treat the nest(s). Although time consuming, following the ant trail(s) to the nest(s) and proper treatment will provide the desired result — colony elimination.

The major constraint on following the trail(s) is obvious — time. Although it is time well spent, most technicians are under pressure to complete the job and get to the next stop, particularly if they are paid on production. The most effective way to put this limited time to work is to have a working knowledge of the biology and habits of the ant species encountered.

A REVIEW. Following is a brief overview of some of the more common ant species:

Acrobat Ant — two nodes with heart-shaped abdomen. Nest in habitats similar to carpenter ants, e.g., moisture and fungal-decayed wood, wall voids and Styrofoam® insulation.

Argentine Ant — single node (visible from above), the anal opening is slit-like, the thorax is unevenly rounded and has no spines, and there is no odor when crushed. These multi-queen colonies can be found indoors near moisture sources; outdoors they nest under objects on the ground and along sidewalks and driveways.

Crazy Ant — single node (visible from above), the anal opening is circular with hairs, the thorax is unevenly rounded and has no spines, there is no odor when crushed, and the antennae and legs are extremely long. These multi-queen colonies can be found indoors in floor and wall voids near hot water heaters and pipes. Outdoors they nest in soil under objects and in plant and tree cavities, trash, mulch and potted plants.

Ghost Ant — single node (not visible from above), the anal opening is slit-like, the thorax is unevenly rounded and has no spines, and the head and thorax are dark while the remainder of the body is light colored and there is a rotten coconut odor when crushed. Indoors these multi-queen colonies nest in voids, such as behind cabinets, baseboards, walls, etc. Outdoors they nest under objects on the ground, e.g., potted plants, stones, woodpiles, and in cavities of trees and shrubs.

Odorous House Ant — single node (not visible from above), the anal opening is slit-like, the thorax is unevenly rounded and has no spines, and the body color is brown to black and there is a rotten coconut odor when crushed. Indoors these multi-queen colonies nest in voids, such as walls near hot water pipes and heaters, sinks, behind cabinets, baseboards, etc. Outdoors they nest under objects on the ground, e.g., potted plants, stones and woodpiles.

Pavement Ant — two nodes, dark color and parallel grooves and/or furrows on the head and thorax. Typically, if nesting indoors, these ants are associated with masonry walls and heat sources and less frequently in wall and floor voids. Outdoors they are found under pavement and next to foundations.

Pharaoh Ant — two-node ant that is very small, yellow to red in color, and a 12-segmented antenna with a three-segmented club. These multi-queen colonies are extremely large and typically nest indoors in areas that are warm, humid and located near food. They can be found in boxes, stored items, wall voids, baseboards, furniture and equipment. They use telephone and electrical wires to move between floors and room to room. While these ants can be found outdoors in any climate, they only survive and nest outdoors in tropical and subtropical environments.

HAPPY CUSTOMERS. The following steps are key to solving ant problems.

The first step to solving any pest management problem is a thorough inspection. The inspection will hopefully answer three questions: What species is it? Where are they trailing? Where are they nesting?

Indoors, technicians should look along man-made lines, e.g., baseboards, carpet tack, expansion joints, cabinets, sinks, window and door trim, etc. Look for points of entry. Ants that typically don’t nest indoors enter structures when it is too wet or too dry and when food resources outdoors, e.g., honeydew, become scarce.

Outdoors, look along foundations, edges of sidewalks and driveways, wires and cables, water lines, under the edge of siding (don’t forget trees and bushes) — follow that trail. In addition, look outdoors for nests by turning over anything that lies on the ground, e.g., stones, splash blocks, wood, landscape timbers, rock walls, etc. When nest hunting always be prepared to treat the nest with a spray or dust — if you wait until later during the service, the colony may have relocated.

Residual applications can be used outside and/or inside, but using improper products can cause ants to spread all over the account. Products with repellent properties (many pyrethroids) should never be used indoors except at potential points of entry. These products are excellent for follow-up treatments on the exterior of the structure. There are several non-repellent products in the market today that can be used for interior and exterior treatments with excellent results. Keep in mind there are restrictions on sites of application and frequency of use.

Some non-repellent products can be used inside for trail applications, allowing the product to be distributed throughout the colony. When applied to the exterior foundation, non-repellents slowly kill the ants and potentially the colony. However, the quickest reduction in ant activity results from finding nesting sites and destroying them.

Ant baiting still is one of the best options for indoor applications and, on occasion, exterior applications. The problem with baits is there are so many of them and every manufacturer claims that their bait is the best. The best solution to this problem is to carry several different baits and formulations (gel, liquid and/or granular) and see which one works best for your pest control company. Don’t forget that ant feeding preferences can change during the year (proteins often are preferred in the spring and carbohydrates in the fall). Caution your customers that baiting typically increases foraging activity. For several days, they may see more ants and they should not spray them or clean up their trails.

Lest you think I’ve forgotten some of the most important ants, i.e., carpenter and fire, they get so much press I thought I would devote some time to those considered less problematic. The greatest success in ant management will be accomplished if you follow those trails to the nests and destroy them where they live.

The author is president of Innovative Pest Management, Brookeville, Md.