Carpenter Ants Control:
      HIT will perform an extensive survey of an infested area in order to assess level of infestation and to find established nests.  Evening surveying may be required since carpenter ants are normally nocturnal.  Control may involve drilling of ¼” holes and power dusting infested wall voids and overhangs, crack and crevicing of infested areas around sidewalks and foundations of infested structures and around bases of trees and other areas, as required, to obtain control.

Allegheny Mound Ant
The Allegheny Mound Ant is also known as Formica exsectoides, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). Members of this Family are less than 1/16-1" (1-15 mm) long and are usually a black, brown, or reddish color.

  • They build above ground nests (mounds) in open areas that act as a solar incubator for eggs and larve. This mound may contain up to 250,000 ants.
  • When setting up the nest the Allegheny Mound Ant attempts to kill the vegetation near the nest, they bite the plants and inject formic acid into the wound, larger plants take more bites.
  • The nest contains many queens and new colonies may take years to develop.
  • These ants feed on other insects.
  • Warning These ants have strong biting jaws, they also smear the bitten area with formic acid which increases the degree of irritation they cause.
    Argentine Ant
    The Argentine Ant is also known as Linepithema humile. which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). Members of this Family are less than 1/16-1" (1-15 mm) long and are usually a black, brown, or reddish color.
    • They have a complex social structure usually consisting of a wingless worker caste composed entirely of sterile females and a reproductive caste made up of winged, fertile males and females. There are some species do not have a worker caste, and some reproductives do not have wings. Ants have a slender "waist," or pedicel, of 1 or 2 beadlike or scalelike segments between the thorax and abdomen.
    • Ants live in colonies in underground tunnels or in galleries in dead wood. From time to time, winged males and females emerge from the nest and perform a brief mating flight. After mating, the males die, and the females lose their wings and return to the ground to start a new colony.
    • Workers gather food, maintain and defend the nest, and tend eggs, larvae, and pupae. Most species are predators or scavengers, but a few harvest seeds, visit clusters of aphids to eat their sweet secretions, raise fungus for food in small underground gardens, or eat leaves cut from plants.
    • Some species produce eggs, which are eaten by the queen and workers. When disturbed, most ants are capable of "biting" or "stinging" people.

    
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Carpenter Ant
Carpenter Ants are also known as the Genus Camponotus, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants), there are many different species of Carpenter Ants. Members of this Family are less than 1/16-1" (1-15 mm) long and are usually a black, brown, or reddish color.
  • They have a complex social structure usually consisting of a wingless worker caste composed entirely of sterile females and a reproductive caste made up of winged, fertile males and females. But some species do not have a worker caste, and some reproductives do not have wings. Ants have a slender "waist," or pedicel, of 1 or 2 beadlike or scalelike segments between the thorax and abdomen.
  • Ants live in colonies in underground tunnels or in galleries in dead wood. From time to time, winged males and females emerge from the nest and perform a brief mating flight. After mating, the males die, and the females lose their wings and return to the ground to start a new colony.
  • Workers gather food, maintain and defend the nest, and tend eggs, larvae, and pupae. Most species are predators or scavengers, but a few harvest seeds, visit clusters of aphids to eat their sweet secretions, raise fungus for food in small underground gardens, or eat leaves cut from plants.
  • Some species produce eggs, which are eaten by the queen and workers. When disturbed, most ants are capable of "biting" or "stinging" people.
  • Warning These ants will bite if aggravated.

    California Harvester
    The California Harvester Ant is also known as Pogonomyrmex californicus, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). Members of this Family are less than 1/16-1" (1-15 mm) long and are usually a black, brown, or reddish color.
    • They have a complex social structure usually consisting of a wingless worker caste composed entirely of sterile females and a reproductive caste made up of winged, fertile males and females. But some species do not have a worker caste, and some reproductives do not have wings. Ants have a slender "waist," or pedicel, of 1 or 2 beadlike or scalelike segments between the thorax and abdomen.
    • Ants live in colonies in underground tunnels or in galleries in dead wood. From time to time, winged males and females emerge from the nest and perform a brief mating flight. After mating, the males die, and the females lose their wings and return to the ground to start a new colony.
    • Workers gather food, maintain and defend the nest, and tend eggs, larvae, and pupae. Most species are predators or scavengers, but a few harvest seeds, visit clusters of aphids to eat their sweet secretions, raise fungus for food in small underground gardens, or eat leaves cut from plants.
    • Some species produce eggs, which are eaten by the queen and workers. When disturbed, most ants are capable of "biting" or "stinging" people.
    • Warning These ants are capable of delivering a sting which does not hurt at first, but can result in intense pain and swollen lymph nodes, particularly if the victim is attacked by a number of workers.

      Harvester Ant
      Harvester Ants are also known as the Genus Pogonomyrmex, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). Members of this Family are less than 1/16-1" (1-15 mm) long and are usually a black, brown, or reddish color.
      • They have a complex social structure usually consisting of a wingless worker caste composed entirely of sterile females and a reproductive caste made up of winged, fertile males and females. But some species do not have a worker caste, and some reproductives do not have wings. Ants have a slender "waist," or pedicel, of 1 or 2 beadlike or scalelike segments between the thorax and abdomen.
      • Ants live in colonies in underground tunnels or in galleries in dead wood. From time to time, winged males and females emerge from the nest and perform a brief mating flight. After mating, the males die, and the females lose their wings and return to the ground to start a new colony.
      • Workers gather food, maintain and defend the nest, and tend eggs, larvae, and pupae. Most species are predators or scavengers, but a few harvest seeds, visit clusters of aphids to eat their sweet secretions, raise fungus for food in small underground gardens, or eat leaves cut from plants.
      • Some species produce eggs, which are eaten by the queen and workers. When disturbed, most ants are capable of "biting" or "stinging" people.
      • Warning These ants are capable of delivering a sting which does not hurt at first, but can result in intense pain and swollen lymph nodes, particularly if the victim is attacked by a number of workers.

        Crazy Ants
        The Crazy Ant is also known as Paratrechina longicornis, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). These ants are known as Crazy Ants because of their characteristic rapid and erratic movement. The worker ants have extremely long legs, making them relatively easy to identify.
        • Yellow Crazy Ants are yellow-brownish in color. They are present in American Samoa, Australia, Brunei, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Islands, South East Asia, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Guam, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kiriabati, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Myanmar, Northern Mariana Islands, Papua New Guinea, Reunion Island, Samoa, Seychelle Islands, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, USA, Vanuatu and the Wallis & Futuna Islands.
        • Crazy ants (Paratrechina longicornis) were introduced to the United States from India. Their distribution is limited to the Gulf coast from Florida to Texas. They are easily identified by their long legs and their habit of erratically moving from place to place (hence the name "crazy"). Crazy ant trails are not readily obvious because of this erratic movement. The easiest way to find the nest is to look for workers carrying pieces of food or workers with swollen abdomens. These ants are carrying food back to the nest. By observing their movement, it should be possible to find the nest. Crazy ants are highly adaptable and will nest in a variety of locations, from very dry to moist. They will nest under objects, in rotten wood or trash, in tree cavities, as well as in debris left standing in buildings for long periods of time.
        • These ants feed on a variety of foods including grease, sweets, and other insects. In some areas they are considered a biological control agent for houseflies. While crazy ants need moisture, elimination of water by itself will not get rid of these ants since they can survive under a wide range of conditions. Elimination of food sources and nest sites are equally important in the management of this ant.
        • Crazy ants do not respond well to baits, so they cannot be relied upon for management of this ant. Surrounding buildings with vegetation-free barriers such as stone or brick (but not wood mulch) will keep ants from entering buildings to nest.

        Leafcutter Ant
          The Leafcutter Ant is also known as the Genus Atta, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). Members of this Family are less than 1/16-1" (1-15 mm) long and are usually a black, brown, or reddish color.
          • They have a complex social structure usually consisting of a wingless worker caste composed entirely of sterile females and a reproductive caste made up of winged, fertile males and females. There are some species do not have a worker caste, and some reproductives do not have wings. Ants have a slender "waist," or pedicel, of 1 or 2 beadlike or scalelike segments between the thorax and abdomen.
          • Ants live in colonies in underground tunnels or in galleries in dead wood. From time to time, winged males and females emerge from the nest and perform a brief mating flight. After mating, the males die, and the females lose their wings and return to the ground to start a new colony.
          • Workers gather food, maintain and defend the nest, and tend eggs, larvae, and pupae. Most species are predators or scavengers, but a few harvest seeds, visit clusters of aphids to eat their sweet secretions, raise fungus for food in small underground gardens, or eat leaves cut from plants.
          • Some species produce eggs, which are eaten by the queen and workers. When disturbed, most ants are capable of "biting" or "stinging" people.

            Pavement Ants
            The Pavement Ant is also known as Tetramorium caespitum, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). They are small pests (ranging from 1/10 to 1/16 inches in length) that can be found in many parts of the United States, as far north as Canada and as far south as Florida. These pests also thrive in parts of California, Mid-West and Southeastern United States.
            • Pavement ants were introduced to the United States from Europe and occur throughout the eastern United States. They are an important pest in the Midwest and New England. They build nests along sidewalks, building foundations, and under stones, boards, bricks, and mulch or leaf piles.
            • Each individual colony contains thousands of workers, multiple queens and is usually located at one particular site; White Footed Ants and Carpenter Ants can have satellite colonies or build huge nests that cover hundreds of feet.
            • This is a two-node ant (has two segments or nodes on its pedicel) and is dark brown in color. Its antennae has 12 segments (which ends in a 3 segmented club) and its thorax has one set of spines. The first physical characteristic noticed (when viewed under a microscope or 30x lens) is the lines which seem to have been sculptured on the ant's head. These grooves are evident on the head and thorax.
            • Pavement ants are one of the most common small ants invading homes. These ants readily make trails to and from food sources and often forage along the edge of carpeting or baseboards. They are also common around the base of toilets. They often nest in protected areas so the nests may be hard to locate, but this is essential to manage infestations of this species. There can be several thousand in a colony.

              Fire Ant
              The Fire Ant is also known as the Genus Solenopsis, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). The Fire Ant society contains 2 or more worker castes of different sizes between 1/16" and 1/4". Their coloring is usually a dull yellow to red or black, they have large heads and incurved jaws that usually lack teeth.
              • Their Food consists of other insects, seeds, poultry, fruits, honeydew, vegetables, and flowers.
              • Females excavate nest close to shrubs for protection from burrowing ant-eating animals, spreading large mounds of waste earth. Sometimes nests are built in rotting logs or under stones. Mated queen tends 1st generation eggs and larvae, then 1st generation female workers take care of eggs, larvae, and queen.
              • Their body contains a 2-segmented "waist" (pedicel) between thorax and abdomen, and fine hair mostly on the head and abdomen, and long legs.
              • Fire Ants live in fields, woodlands, open areas, and in dry to moist soil. Their range extends from Florida and Gulf states to the Pacific Coast, north to British Columbia. Reports of devastating battalions of Fire Ants are well known in the South and Southwest.
              • Although these ants often damage young plants, they rarely destroy established crops. Some people even consider this species a beneficial predator of insect pests. Other members of this common genus are found throughout North America but the range of individual species is more restricted.
              • Warning Stings from Fire Ants produce a painful, burning sensation.

              Little Black Ant
              The Little Black Ant is also known as Monomorium minimum, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). The Little Black Ant is 1/16" long with a slender, smooth body that is shiny black to dark brown. They have a single-segmented "waist" between the thorax and the abodmen.
              • They eat sweet substances, meat fragments, cooked vegetables, other human food.
              • Nests are constructed below ground, raising small craters around opening at the surface, or in rotting wood. Queen feeds 1st brood, then workers take over, tending young and feeding queen.
              • Little Black Ants live in forest edges and houses, throughout North America, except Pacific Northwest.
              • One of the most common ants in homes, this insect is active day and night and is often seen carrying particles of food many feet back to its nest.
              • Because there are usually no winged females, these ants do not have nuptial flights.

              Long Legged Ant
              The Long Legged Ant is also known as Aphaenogaster cockerelli, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). They are 3/8" long depending on the caste, with 2 sharp diverging spines on the rear of the thorax. The Long Legged Ant is usually a reddish black color.
              • The Long Legged Ant's food consists of small insects.
              • The Queen excavates brood chamber in soil and lays a few eggs. Queen regurgitates food to larvae until they can spin cocoons and transform to adults. Then workers hunt for food, expand galleries, feed queen, and tend eggs and young.
              • They can be found in Arid plateaus at elevations of 2,690-5,380' (820-1,640 m), from California to Mexico.
              • The sharp spines on these ants may be nature's way of protecting their narrow "waist," or pedicel, from attackers.


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