ants: facts, fiction, and control eleanor spicer rice ncsu entomology department
TRANSCRIPT
ANTS: Facts, Fiction, and Control
Eleanor Spicer Rice
NCSU Entomology Department
First, let’s check some facts . . .
First, let’s check some facts . . .TEAM NAME __________________________________TEAM MEMBERS _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________
Question 1 (circle one): TRUE FALSE
Question 2: TRUE FALSE
Question 3: TRUE FALSE
Question 4: TRUE FALSE
Question 5: TRUE FALSE
Question 6: A B
Question 7: A B C
Question 8 (circle two): A B C D
BONUS: ____________________________________________
Fill out your sheetsas we go along!
Question 1:True/False
Most ants are pests.
Question 2:True/False
All ants have nests.
There is an Argentine ant colony right now with trillions of workers that spans nearly 4,000 miles.
Question 3:True/False
Ant workers are both male and female.
Question 4:True/False
Smaller ants never grow up to be bigger ants in the colony.
Question 5:True/False
Which of the following two choices is an effective home remedy for killing fire ants:
A. dumping grits on the nest
B. dumping a pot of boiling water
on the nest
Question 6:Pick A or B
Which of the following pest ant species relies least on trailing pheromones to gather food?
A. Sugar ants (Argentine and odorous house),
B. Little Black Ants (Monomorium minimum),
C. Carpenter ants
Question 7:Pick A, B, or C
Choose the two substances that are MOST attractive to ants out of the following list:
A. Protein
B. Fiber
C. Carbohydrates
D. Lipids (fats)
Question 8:Pick A, B, C, or D
Bonus question:
1. Which is the closest relative of ants?
2. Which is the closest relative of termites?
Cockroach Wasp House fly Dragonfly
Hand in your sheets!
Let’s see how you did . . .
Question 1:True/False
Most ants are pests.FALSE!!!!!FALSE!!!!!
Most ant species are NOT pests!
Total Ant Species
Non-pest Species
Pest Species
>30,000
<100
What do they do?
Pollintation
Plant protectionSoil aeration
Maintain ecological balanceand biodiversity
Seed planting
And much more!
Question 2:True/False
All ants have nests.FALSE!!!!!FALSE!!!!!
Some ants don’t need a nest!
• Army ants and driver ants
• >200 species
• Move non-stop
There is an Argentine ant colony right now with trillions of workers that spans nearly 4,000 miles.
Question 3:True/False
It’s true!It’s true!
Argentine ants have supercolonies!
• ~4,000 miles in Europe
• Several in U.S.
• No supercolonies in Argentina
• Why?
What happens when Argentine ants invade?
What happens when Argentine ants invade?
What happens when Argentine ants invade?
What happens when Argentine ants invade?
Argentina United States
How can you treat a supercolony?
1. Try to get everybody on board
2. Try to be thorough
3. Tailor your bait to your ant
Ant workers are both male and female.
Question 4:True/False
FALSE!!!!!FALSE!!!!!
All ant workers are female!
• Ant colonies have:– A queen (or queens)– Workers (all female)– Males
• So what do males do?
What about termites?
• Termite workers are both male and female
Smaller ants never grow up to be bigger ants in the colony.
Question 5:True/False
It’s true!It’s true!
Small ants do NOT grow up to be big ants!
• Ants have complete metamorphosis (egglarva pupaadult)
Small ants do NOT grow up to be big ants!
• Ants have complete metamorphosis (egglarva pupaadult)
• What are small ants?
What are small ants?
Either:
1. They’re just little!
or
2. They received different food as larvae.
Which of the following two choices is an effective home remedy for killing fire ants:
A. dumping grits on the nest
B. dumping a pot of boiling water
on the nest
Question 6:Pick A or B
Why grits don’t work:
• Grits aren’t deadly
• Ants cannot process grits alone
• Why do grits “work” for some people?
Why boiling water does work:
• Nobody can withstand boiling water
• The best time to do it: 6 o’clock PM
• Adding detergent or salt increases death rate
Why the water must be boiling:
Which of the following pest ant species relies least on trailing pheromones to gather food?
A. Sugar ants (Argentine and odorous house)
B. Little Black Ants (Monomorium minimum)
C. Carpenter ants
Question 7:Pick A, B, or C
Ants forage differently
• Carpenter ants use sight, trails, and tandem running
• Sugar ants and little black ants use trails
• Asian needle ants carry each other
You can use foraging behavior to decide treatment
• Clumping increases effectiveness for trailers
• Scattering increases effectiveness for eyesight foragers
• What about for carrying ants?
Choose the two substances that are MOST attractive to ants out of the following list:
A. Protein
B. Fiber
C. Carbohydrates
D. Lipids (fats)
Question 8:Pick A, B, C, or D
Ants prefer protein and carbs
Proteins Carbohydrates
Ants prefer protein and carbs
• Dietary preferences change with the seasons
• Tailoring treatment for the seasons can increase effectiveness
Season Carbohydrates Protein
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ants prefer protein and carbs
• Dietary preferences change with the seasons
• Tailoring treatment for the seasons can increase effectiveness
• You can also tailor your bait to determine treatment area
Bonus question:
1. Which is the closest relative of ants?
2. Which is the closest relative of termites?
Cockroach Wasp House fly Dragonfly
May I answer any of YOUR questions?
Insecticide Trial for ANA• Tested for speed
and efficacy
• 0.5 grams of product to 50 ants
• Recorded # dead for 10 days
Insecticide Trial: ResultsP
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Insecticide Trial: Results
Pro
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div
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Extinguish Plustreatment showedhighest and fastest mortality
Maxforce FG andComplete treatments are effective over time
Advion and Optigard are also effective
Insecticide Trial: Bottom Line
• This is a lab trial, under controlled conditions
• It is recommended to use a variety of products for maximum efficacy
THANK YOU• Charles Pate
• ElRay Roper
• Janet Kintz-Early
• Mike Waldvogel and the NCSU Entomology Department
• You!
