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Features

Ants have three clearly defined body segments: head, thorax and abdomen.

The reproductive male and female are winged.

Ants are social insects and live in permanent nests, mostly located in soil, wood and among rocks.

Life Cycles

Once the eggs are laid, it takes more than 6 weeks (depending on species and environmental conditions) for the larvae to become fully developed. There are three castes of ants:

Male: adult males are winged. Their specific function is to mate with the female, and usually die after doing so.
Female: the largest in body size, the female begins adult life as a winged insect, but the wings are dropped soon after mating. Some species have only one female reproductive (‘queen’) while others may have many. The queen regulates the colony. Typically, females live up to 15yrs.
Worker: they are sterile, wingless females. They serve the colony by nest-building, foraging for food, feeding immature ants & other castes, caring for eggs, defence, etc. Large workers with well-developed heads are called soldiers. Workers mostly live for about 1 year.

Habits

Although ants commonly have permanent nests, it is not uncommon for a change of nest location in times of adverse conditions.

Once a food source has been established, worker ants will leave the nest and travel in well-defined trails. The trails are usually marked by ‘scent trails’ in the form of trail-marking pheromone secretions. Other methods include reference to landmarks, orientation with respect to light, communication, smell (trail-marking), taste (food exchange by regurgitation), hearing (tapping & stridulation), touch (antennal stroking), or sight (in ants with well developed eyes).

In their feeding habits ants tend to be scavengers or predators. Several species of ants are omnivorous, consuming a wide variety of plant and animal products.

ant

Solution

We would be delighted to offer you any of the above services, or assist with identifying and exterminating any other pests not listed on our website.

Please feel free to contact us regarding your requirements, and we can tailor a specific treatment schedule for your business.

Identifier

Type	Features	Nesting Habits	Feeding Habits	Image
Small Brown Ants
Argentine Ant	Light brown to brown. No formic acid odour when crushed. Will drive other ants from their area of occurrence.	Nests in exposed soil or under rotting logs, plant cavities, etc. Often moves indoors in wet weather. Colony has several queens.	Prefers sweet foods but will et meat, insects, seeds, fruit & honeydew. May damage soiled clothing.
Brown House Ant	Uniformly brown. Distinct formic acid odour when crushed.	Forms small colonies around paths & rockeries, in crevices, and in joints in brick & stonework.	Prefers high protein (blood, meat, insects).
Coastal Brown Ant	Light yellowish brown to brown. Pair of small spines on hind part of thorax.	Often located within building structures, in crevices in brickwork, in cavity walls and behind skirtings & architraves. Sometimes nests around paths & rockeries.	Prefers dead insects, meat particles, fat and grease.
Odorous Ant	Brown to dark brown. . Distinct odour similar to rancid butter when crushed.	Nest within buildings in walls, under stoves and cupboards, and in subfloor voids.	Eats most types of household food. Prefers sweets but will eat meat, bread, etc.
Pharaoh’s Ant	Light yellowish brown to darker brown. No spines on thorax. No odour when crushed.	Form large colonies with many queens. May travel considerable distances for food. Nest indoors in wall voids, beneath floors, around foundations, in ceilings & in warmer parts of buildings (eg. adjacent to heating ducts).	Eats almost any type of food materials (meat, blood) as well as fatty food, vegetable matter and sweets.
Singapore Ant	Light brown with darker posterior abdomen. No spines on thorax. Head flattened and blocky.	Nest in and around buildings, in cracks, crevices, wall cavities, behind skirtings, under paths, etc.	Eats a variety of food materials, including protein & sugar-type materials, Prefers animal materials to sweets.
Small Black Ants
Black House Ant	Black.	Nests outside, against paths, in rockeries & other crevices. May nest in cavity walls, indoors or in subfloor areas.	Feeds on a variety of food sources but prefers sweets.
Whitefooted house Ant	Black with pale tarsi. No nodes present on one-segmented pedicel.	Commonly nests indoors & outdoors; around paths & rockeries, inside cavity walls, behind skirtings & architraves, under & behind kitchen cupboards, etc.	Eats a variety of foods but prefers meats and sweets.
Miscellaneous Ants
Bulldog Ant	Tends to be red or black. Very aggressive.	Nests outside in soil & under logs, rocks, etc. Located mostly in bushy areas. Seldom enters buildings. Can inflict a very painful sting.	Feeds on a variety of foods.
Carpenter Ant	Colour variable, with a smooth, evenly rounded thorax. Circle of tiny hairs at end of abdomen.	Nests in decayed or moist wood, sometimes in soil. Mostly located in bushy areas. May travel great distances for food.	Forages mostly at night. Eats dead & live insects, honeydew from sap suckers & a variety of household wastes. Attracted to sweets.
Greenhead Ant	Black with metallic green head. Distinctive appearance & odour.	Nests in small colonies under paths & among rockeries. Mostly located in bushy areas. Seldom enters houses. Can inflict a painful sting.	Feeds on materials of vegetable origin.
Jumper Ant	Usually yellow & black. Very aggressive, has a jumping habit.	Nests outdoors in soil, building mound-type nests. Located mostly in bushy areas. Seldom enters buildings. Can inflict a painful sting.	Feeds on a variety of foods.
Meat Ant	Red & Black	Builds a large nest in soil, identified by having a topping of gravel. Mostly occurs in bush areas.	Eats animal materials & honeydew from sap suckers. Does not sting.

Ants

Information