|
These ants were introduced into
South Florida from Argentina four or five years ago, and without a doubt have
become a wide spread problem. They love any plant producing honeydew (sweet) or
plants having aphids. Trees that produce a lot of sap are a major contributor.
Education is 50% of the battle.
Trees and shrubs must be kept cut and away from the house as much as possible.
They can be seen crawling on
electrical and phone lines that pass through trees as well as all around and on
your house. They can invade your home through the attic, electrical outlets
ceiling fans, etc.
Behavior –
White-footed ants may develop huge colonies containing
thousands of workers and numerous queens. A colony of
white-footed ants can number up to one million
individuals. This species may be difficult to control
and does not feed much on ant baits. The keys to control
are to find the colonies and subcolonies and treat them
directly. Regular inspections and service are necessary
to find and treat new colonies as they move from
neighboring properties. The services of a professional,
such as Rebel Exterminators are very helpful when encountering
these ants.
Habitat – The white-footed ant is a
serious pest in southern Florida and on the Hawaiian
Island of Oahu. These ants nest outdoors under items on
the ground, within landscape mulch, beneath loose bark
on trees, under ground cover, in potted plants, and
within piles of items, such as lumber, firewood, or
bricks. Nests may also be readily established inside
homes in walls, beneath carpeting, and in other suitable
voids or spaces.
Tips for Control – The white-footed
ant may well be the most difficult to control of all
structure-infesting ants. In many situations elimination
of ant activity is nearly impossible, especially during
mid-summer in areas where this ant occurs (Florida and
Hawaii). At best, regular treatments hold the ants at
bay, keeping as few ants as possible from entering the
home or business. Without such efforts, however, the
numbers of ants seen inside can rise into the thousands.
Regular pest control services by an experienced Rebel
Exterminator professional can help minimize the numbers of ants seen
inside. It is especially important to seal as many
cracks in the homes exterior as possible to exclude ants
and other pests.
General tips for limiting ant infestations include:
- Eliminate
piles of lumber, bricks, or other debris that could
serve as a nesting site for ants.
- Keep
landscape mulch less than 2 inches thick and at
least 12 inches away from foundations.
- Ensure
the sprinkler system does not spray directly onto a
building's foundation.
- Insecticide
spraying of all shrubs, trees (if necessary), and around
foundations of your home is a must. Also included are
planting areas with cypress mulch.
- White
footed ants are year 'round, but during the summer
months they are the worst. Spraying shrubs and mulch
areas in the spring and fall may keep your infestation
under control, if not eliminate them completely. For a
while. Nothing is permanent.
Monthly service on your home and other uses of IGRS,
baits and dusts, in a complete program with your
exterminating company is a start.
|
