Super Colony: Pest Ants of the Pacific Northwest 56 th Annual Conference of the Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO) August 27, 2012 Seattle, WA Laurel D. Hansen Spokane Falls Community College
2011 NPMA Ant Survey 225 responses November, 2011-January 2012 Survey included: types of communities locations of infestations location within structures methods of control size of company Involved in writing questions, evaluating responses, final report Available: NPMA, Professional Pest Management Alliance
Responses by Region WASHINGTON OREGON CALIFORNIA NEVADA IDAHO UTAH ARIZONA MONTANA WYOMING COLORADO NEW MEXICO NORTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA NEBRASKA KANSAS OKLAHOMA MINNESOTA IOWA WISCONSIN MICHIGAN NEW YORK PENNSYLVANIA ILLINOIS INDIANA OHIO WEST VIRGINIA MISSOURI KENTUCKY VIRGINIA NORTH TENNESSEE CAROLINA ARKANSAS SOUTH CAROLINA VERMONT MAINE NEW HAMPSHIRE MASSACHUSETTS RHODE ISLAND CONNECTICUT NEW JERSEY DELAWARE MARYLAND WASHINGTON D.C. ALASKA TEXAS MISSISSIPPI LOUISIANA ALABAMA GEORGIA FLORIDA HAWAII West: 18% Midwest: 18% South: 43% Northeast: 21% n = 214 3
Question: Do you feel the incidence of ants in your region is increasing, decreasing, or remaining the same? Increasing 54% Decreasing 5% Same 41% n = 187 4
Question: What species of ants do you most commonly treat for? Carpenter Ants Odorous House Ants Pavement Ants 62% 59% 66% Pharaoh Ants Little Black Ants Argentine Ants Red Imported Fire Ants Acrobat Ants Crazy Ants 36% 31% 28% 24% 20% 20% n = 187 5
Carpenter ants
Tapinoma sessile (Odorous house ants)
Tetramorium caespitum (Pavement ants)
Super colony? Number of queens Number of foragers Number of nesting sites Aggressive vs non aggressive (Permanent nest vs temporary nests) Argentine Ant Colony: California; Europe Structurally Damaging OR Nuisance Pests
Monogyne vs. polygyne
Biology of ants All ants are social Queen (s), worker Brood: eggs, larvae, pupae Overwintering varies with species Overwintering stages: varies Swarming/flight: varies Reproductives: males and females
Structurally Damaging 12
Velvety tree ants Carpenter ants
Carpenter ants: multiple nesting sites (Parent vs satellite) Super Colony(?) 14
15
Satellite Nest
Velvety Tree Ant Damage
Differences in excavated wood
Velvety tree ants
16 16,500 workers 250 ml jar (1 Cup)
Nuisance pests Multiple queens Multiple nesting sites Aggressive or non aggressive Super Colony Odorous house ants Pavement ants
Pavement ants
Pavement ants
Tetramorium caespitum (Pavement ants)
Odorous house ants
VTA versus OHA Velvety tree ant, L. occidentale: 2.5-5.5 mm Velvety tree ant, (pine tree ant) L. luctuosum: 2.5-4.5 mm Odorous house ant, Tapinoma sessile: 3 mm
Carpenter Velvety tree Odorous house Pavement Ants Ants Ants Ants none odor odor none large small small small acidopore slit slit stinger polymorphic polymorphic monomorphic monomorphic upright node upright node flat node two nodes spring flights spring flights(?) spring flights (?) July flights aggressive non non aggressive monogyne polygyne polygyne polygyne nest wood nest wood no no
Similarities: Important for Management Carpenter ants Velvety tree ants Odorous house ants Pavement ants foraging trails to the exterior food honeydew, aphids, variety association with trees and vegetation large colonies stinger only on pavement ants nests inside and outside structures color variable
Key to management
33
Overgrown vegetation Wiring from structure through trees
To be or not to be GREEN
Conducive conditions for ant infestations Vegetation Wood/soil contact Railroad ties/landscaping timbers Stumps & living trees Firewood Support structures Moisture problems: leaks Drainage problems 37
Stumps and trees 38
IPM approach: Identification, Sanitation, Management strategies Identification: (more than one species) Biology Inspection Education of HOMEOWNER Pest ants Biology: life cycles Removal of conducive conditions Types of chemicals Chemical: Placement: least amount Safety
Perimeter sprays 40
Perimeter sprays: lab Ants were exposed for 1 minute, 10 minutes, or 24 hours. Arilon (0.1%) Termidor(0.6%) Sprayed, aged for 1 day, 7 days, 30 days, 60 days and retested
Summary: Average percent mortality of ants at 0, 7, 30, 60 DAT for 1 min., 10 min. & 24 hr. exposure Treatment 2: Indoxacarb-20 WG at 0.10% % Mortality 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 Days 1 minute exposure 0 DAT 7 DAT 30 DAT 60 DAT 0 DAT control 7 DAT control 30 DAT control 60 DAT control % Mortality 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 Days 10 minute exposure 0 DAT 7 DAT 30 DAT 60 DAT 0 DAT control 7 DAT control 30 DAT control 60 DAT control 100 90 80 % Mortality 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 Days 24 hour exposure 0 DAT 7 DAT 30 DAT 60 DAT 0 DAT control 7 DAT control 30 DAT control 60 DAT control
% Mortality 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Summary: Average percent mortality of ants at 0, 7, 30, 60 DAT for 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 Days 1 minute exposure 1 min., 10 min. & 24 hr. exposure Treatment 3: Termidor SC at 0.06% 0 DAT 7 DAT 30 DAT 60 DAT 0 DAT control 7 DAT control 30 DAT control 60 DAT control % Mortality 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 Days 10 minute exposure 0 DAT 7 DAT 30 DAT 60 DAT 0 DAT control 7 DAT control 30 DAT control 60 DAT control % Mortality 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 12 Days 24 hour exposure 0 DAT 7 DAT 30 DAT 60 DAT 0 DAT control 7 DAT control 30 DAT control 60 DAT control
Development of Baits Toxicant: available in different formulations (honeydew formula or other inert ingredients) Liquid Gel Granule Station Attractant Recruitment Longevity
Issues with baiting Resource Fidelity: food resources Age of the colony: amount of foraging Health of the colony: major, minors Season: dormant, April-----September: differences Humidity Water: rainfall, irrigation Direct sunlight
Tests: Longevity and recruitment Tests: Room temperature (laboratory) Choice test: honey or bait 6 replicates, 30 worker carpenter ants/dish Mortality daily for 18 days Time: April-May Gel baits: Aged baits: 1 or 3 days, 1, 2, or 4 weeks before foraging trials Liquid and station baits Removed tops of stations for observation
% Mortality % Mortality Summary Results of Aged Baits % Mortality % Mortality 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Advion Gel Summary Gourmet Gel Summary Fresh 3 day 1 week 2 weeks 4 weeks Control 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Days 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Days Fresh 3 day 1 week 2 weeks 4 weeks Control 120 Maxforce Gel Summary 120 Optigard Gel Summary 100 80 60 40 20 Fresh 3 day 1 week 2 weeks 4 weeks Control 100 80 60 40 20 Fresh 3 day 1 week 2 weeks 4 weeks Control 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Days 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Days
% Mortality % Mortality % Mortality Summary of Results 120 Container baits Liquid baits 100 Maxforce Container 80 60 40 20 Indoxacarb Container Avermectin Containier Hydramethylnon Container Control 100 80 60 40 20 Liquid Gourmet Dinotefuran Container Control 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718 Days 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Days 120 Granule baits 100 80 60 40 Advion Insect Granule NiBan FG Control 20 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718 Days
% Mortality % Mortality % Mortality 120 Comparison of Indoxacarb Comparison of Fipronil 120 100 100 80 60 40 Advion Gel Indoxacarb Container Advion Insect Granule Control 80 60 40 Maxforce Container Maxforce Gel Control 20 20 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718 Days 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Days Comparison of Boric Acid compounds 100 80 60 40 Gourmet Gel Liquid Gourmet NiBan FG 20 Control 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Days
Field applications Carpenter ants: Recruitment Control Advion Ant Gel Optigard Ant Gel Bait
Tapinoma sessile, Odorous House Ants Advion Ant Gel Optigard Ant Bait Gel
Field Applications: Advion Ant Gel Tetramorium caespitum, pavement ants
6 week old Advion Ant Gel Fresh Advion Ant Gel
Field Application of liquid baits: Larger populations/increase volume of bait Gourmet Liquid Ant Bait
Dr. Gary Piper s Collection
Summary Super colony: Similarities: Large population of workers Large foraging territory Differences: Many queens vs single queens Aggressive or Non Nomadic vs permanent nest sites Management strategies Sanitation Effective tools: Perimeter sprays Development of baits
Acknowledgements BASF Dupont Crop Protection Syngenta Crop Protection Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration Norm Ehmann Urban Entomology Research Award, Washington State University Spokane Falls Community Technicians: Sharon Carroll, Arlana Nielsen, Jenifer Parker