The onset of cooler temperatures often brings unwanted pests into our homes. Several species of ants look to enter homes during colder weather to overwinter. Also, more pleasant temperatures outside bring people outdoors which can mean more interaction with wasps and yellowjackets. The following article by Emily Cabrera, public relations coordinator for the integrated Pest Management Program at UGA, discusses these pests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asian needle ants – University of Georgia entomologist Dan Suiter tells homeowners to be on the lookout for a particularly problematic ant called the Asian needle ant (Brachyponera chinensis). This invasive species was first reported in the U.S. in the 1930s in Decatur, Georgia. \u201cFor decades this ant hasn\u2019t been considered an issue, but over the past several years population sizes have exploded, and they are now a major pest in Georgia, especially in the northeast and northwest,\u201d explained Suiter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unlike the more widely known fire ant or Argentine ant \u2014 commonly referred to as the \u201csugar ant\u201d \u2014 the Asian needle ant does not build mounds, so it can be difficult to spot this ant species. They establish colonies of up to a couple thousand ants by nesting under logs, stones and bark. When disturbed, they can deliver a very painful sting, similar to fire ants, but the venom can be quite toxic \u2014 even fatal, in some cases, should sting victims suffer from anaphylaxis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many pest ant species lay down pheromones to help establish a well-defined foraging trail for other ants of the same colony to locate food sources, but the Asian needle ant does not forage in this manner. They instead exhibit a very unusual behavior called \u201ctandem carrying,\u201d where one female worker ant will carry another worker ant in her mandibles. Once a food source is located, she will put her sister down and they will forage together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
County University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents and forest service employees have been reporting higher incidences of this species in the last few years, especially in northeast Georgia. \u201cWe\u2019re not exactly sure of their range yet, but they are probably not as common in south Georgia as they are in north Georgia,\u201d said Suiter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Argentine ants – A familiar occurrence for anyone who lives in Georgia is the annual migration of Argentine ants into homes during the fall and winter months. \u201cWhen we start having cold snaps beginning in October, this ant will start to invade homes looking for a warm place to overwinter,\u201d explained Suiter. They will typically find overwintering spots in walls and around electrical devices that put off heat, such as printers or refrigerators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cArgentine ants are what most of us call \u2018sugar ants.\u2019 They don\u2019t really bother us during the summer, as they spend most of their time in trees foraging for honeydew from aphids and scale insects,\u201d said Suiter. \u201cThis species can have hundreds of queens within a colony, so they spend all summer building their colonies and this is the time of year that population sizes peak \u2014 just before coming indoors \u2014 so they quickly become a nuisance of homeowners right about now and into winter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suiter recommends heading off issues now before they become a problem in the upcoming weeks and months. He tells homeowners to clean up outside of structures to help prevent these ants from collecting and moving indoors. \u201cArgentine ants thrive in mulch and leaf litter because they hold moisture, so horticultural mulches and leaf litter should be minimized. Try not to allow leaf litter to collect in gutters and around the base of homes,\u201d instructed Suiter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If insecticide use becomes necessary, available commercial products that contain fipronil, such as Termidor or Taurus \u2014 a liquid insecticide \u2014 can be mixed with water and applied directly to ants found outside. Never spray these products indoors! \u201cIt is sometimes advisable to find ant nests in mulch and leaf litter and spray nests directly,\u201d explained Suiter. \u201cTypically, no more than 1 gallon of diluted, finished product is needed to control Argentine ants on the outside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wasps and yellow jackets – Lastly, be mindful of wasps and yellow jackets this time of year. As the weather becomes cooler and more tolerable, people tend to spend more time outdoors, where entertainment often includes food and drink. This is also the time of year that wasp and yellow jacket population sizes are at their peak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs we know, tailgating and fall barbecues are always a favorite pastime this time of year, but this is also the time that yellow jacket encounters spike,\u201d explained Suiter. \u201cWhen we see wasps and yellow jackets in these social settings it\u2019s important to understand they are not approaching you in a protective or aggressive manner, as they aren\u2019t trying to guard their nest. They\u2019re interested only in foraging from whatever food you have lying around. So, we recommend that people not swat at them or panic, but just be sure to check your soda can before taking a sip to avoid being inadvertently stung.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To learn more about pests in and around the home, visit UGA Extension’s Structural Pest Management website at extension.uga.edu\/programs-services\/structural-pest-management or contact our office at 706-795-2281.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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