Page 24 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

FLORIDA CARPENTER ANT FLORIDA CARPENTER ANT
MAJOR WORKER QUEEN,MINOR,MAJOR WORKERS

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

FLORIDA CARPENTER ANT FLORIDA CARPENTER ANT
MINOR WORKER QUEEN,MINOR,MAJOR WORKERS

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR
1.Antenna- 12 segmented parts 6.Thorax- uneven & rounded CARPENTER ANT
2.Eyes-2 compound 7.Petiole- single node
3.Head- large mandibles 8.Abdomen- covered with hairs 1 6 7 8
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- orange to brown
5.Wings- on alates & queen 10.Other-circle of hairs at anus
10
Life Cycle
Females lay eggs in chambers of galleries, which hatch into larvae in 3
about 24 days. The larvae mature into pupae in 21 days. Pupae are en-
cased in cocoons, which are commonly called ant eggs. The pupal stage 4
is also 21 days, so the minimum time from egg to adult is 66 days.
Swarms can be quite large, occuring May to November. Drawing by Christopher Beck

CARPENTER ANT Actual size 1/4” to 1/2”

Florida has several species of Carpenter ants, they are usually ¼ to ½ inch in size, and are one
of the larger ants that invade homes. Despite appearances, they do not actually eat the wood,
they tunnel through it to create galleries--their homes--and can do considerable damage. They
will infest dead trees, telephone poles, and houses but can also be found in lawns. Since they
do not actually eat the wood, their food is really other insects, juices, and they have a particular
fondness for anything sweet. They are liquid feeders and unable to swallow solid foods, so they
chew the solids until it can be swallowed. Adult Carpenter Ants have the ability to bite. Each
colony has one queen, who lays only a few eggs that become minor workers, who then go out
and forage to feed the queen and the young. A colony may eventually contain over 3,000 work-
ers. When they get into houses, damage can be severe and require extensive repairs.
GENERAL
Ants have a highly developed, very complex social structure. There is a worker class, usually
made up of sterile females, and a reproductive class consisting of both males and females with
wings. A few also have a soldier class. They live in colonies, usually found either underground
or in dead wood, but may adapt to other habitats. Single node ants have no stingers. Double
node ants are capable of both biting and stinging. All ants in the United States are fortunate
because they have no natural enemies—so they can spread wherever they wish.

24