Various species
Pest description and crop damage Ants normally establish their colonies in sunny locations in well-drained soils. In turf, a nest consists of a series of underground tunnels and galleries which may extend three or more feet beneath the soil surface. Multiple openings provide access to the surface. During nest construction, ants excavate large quantities of soil which they deposit in mounds on the surface. Not only are these mounds unsightly, but they can smother the turfgrass immediately surrounding colony openings and make routine maintenance difficult by producing a bumpy, uneven turf.
See also
Biology and life history A typical ant colony consists of an egg-laying queen, males, immature stages (eggs, larvae and pupae) and hundreds to thousands of sterile female workers which can become a nuisance as they forage around buildings, sidewalks, foundations and driveways. Ants consume a wide variety of foods including seeds, small insects, plant sap, flower nectar and fungal growth. Many ant species feed on honeydew, a sweet liquid secreted by plant-feeding insects such as aphid, mealybugs, scale insects and leafhoppers. In the spring and fall, colonies produce winged ants that leave the colony, mate and seek new nesting sites.
Management-chemical control: HOME USE
Effective ant control normally requires destruction of the queen. In most cases, this necessitates one or more applications of a liquid or granular insecticide. In situations where only a few colonies are present, apply insecticides directly to colony openings and the areas immediately surrounding the mounds.
- abamectin
- azadirachtin (neem oil)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- Beauvaria bassiana-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- beta-cyfluthrin (as a mix with imidacloprid)
- bifenthrin (often as a mix with other ingredients)
- boric acid
- carbaryl
- clothianidin (as a mix with pyriproxyfen)
- cyfluthrin
- cypermethrin
- deltamethrin
- fenvalerate
- gamma-cyhalothrin
- imidacloprid
- indoxacarb
- lambda-cyhalothrin
- permethrin
- plant essential oils (cedarwood, clove, garlic, lemongrass, etc.)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- pyrethrins-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- spinosad-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
Management-chemical control: COMMERCIAL USE
Effective ant control normally requires destruction of the queen. In most cases, this necessitates one or more applications of a liquid or granular insecticide. In situations where only a few colonies are present, apply insecticides directly to colony openings and the areas immediately surrounding the mounds.
- abamectin (Abathor Granular Ant Bait)
- azadiractin (Azaguard Botanical Insecticide/Nematicide)
- beta-cyfluthrin (Tempo SC Ultra Insecticide) at 0.001 to 0.002 lb ai/1,000 sq ft)
- bifenthrin + carbaryl (Andersons Golf Prod Duocide Insect Control)
- bifenthrin (Talstar Select Insecticide) at 0.05 to 0.1 lb ai/A. PHI 30 days. REI 12 hr. Bifenthrin is highly toxic to bees and other pollinators exposed to direct treatment or residues on blooming crops or weeds. Do not apply bifenthrin or allow it to drift to blooming crops or weeds if bees or other pollinating insects are foraging in the treatment area. Extremely toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates. Do not apply if rain is expected within 24 hours or whatever time is necessary for product to dry.
- boric acid (Motherearth Granular Scatter Bait)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
- carbaryl (Sevin SL Carbaryl Insecticide)
- cyfluthrin (Tempo 20WP Golf Course Insecticide in WSP, Tempo 20 WP Insecticide)
- cypermethrin (Demon WP Insecticide)-Highly toxic to fish.
- deltamethrin (Deltagard G Insecticide, D-Fense SC Insecticide)
- dinotefuran (Zylam)-Note: Neonicotinoid pesticides have been banned from use on public properties in some towns and counties (check with local authorities).
- esfenvalerate + prallethrin + piperonyl butoxide (Onslaught FastCap Spider and Scorpion Insecticide)
- gamma-cyhalothrin (Scion Insecticde, Optimate CS)
- indoxacarb (DuPont Provaunt Insecticide, Provaunt Insecticide)
- lambda-cyhalothrin (Scimitar) at 5 to 10 fl oz/A (0.034 to 0.068 lb ai/A). Apply at 7-day intervals if treatment is necessary. Do not apply more than 0.36 lb of ai (52.4 fl oz of concentrate) per acre per year.
- lambda-cyhalothrin+ thiamethoxam (Tandem Insecticide)
- mint oil, geraniol + oil of rosemary (Keyplex Ecotrol Plus Insecticide/Miticide, Essentria IC3 Insecticide)-OMRI-listed for organic use.
- spinosad (Brandt Antixx)
- spinosad + iron phosphate (Bulls-eye Outdoor Granular Ant Bait)