Page 28 - Florida Pest Control Examinations

THIEF ANT THIEF ANT

Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

1.Antenna-10 segmented w/2 seg. club 6.Thorax- uneven, no spines THIEF ANT
2.Eyes- 2 7.Petiole- 2 nodes
3.Head 8.Abdomen- stinger present 1 6 7 8
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- yellow to dark brown
5.Wings- on alates 10.Other- nests close to other
a n t s
Life Cycle
Queens lay about 100 eggs, which incubate for 16-28 days. The larval 4
stage varies greatly with temperature, developing in as little as three
weeks. This ant also has a pre-pupal stage of 2-11 days, and the pupal
stage itself ranges from 13-27 days.
Drawing by Corky’s Pest Control
THIEF ANT Actual size 1/16”

Thief Ants are tiny--only about 1/16th of an inch, and are a pale brownish color. Their size makes it
easy for them to get into houses in search of food and water. They love meats, cheeses, and grease--
foods that are rich in fats or proteins. They will also eat dead insects. The nests are in galleries in dirt,
and they often build near another ant colony--raiding it to steal food. This is how they got their name!
The Thief Ant will also build inside houses--in walls, cupboards, cracks and crevices. They can host
diseases and tapeworms as an additional problem for human food. A colony may contain from a few
hundred to a few thousand ants.

1.Antenna-12 segmented parts 6.Thorax- uneven, no spines CRAZY ANT
2.Eyes- 2 facing forward 7.Petiole- single node 1
3.Head 8.Abdomen- teardrop shape 6
4.Legs- 6 9.Color- dark brown to black 8
5.Wings- on alates & budding 10.Other- multiple queens
Life Cycle
Colonies are fairly large--a single colony may contain 2,000 workers and 8-
40 queens. They can actually swarm year-round. The males gather at the
entrance to a nest, and the queens will eventually emerge to mate. They
create nests under trash and debris, decaying wood, soil, and even indoors 4
on occasion. Photo Courtesy of UNIVAR

CRAZY ANT Actual size 1/8”
Crazy Ants get their name from their behavior—they seem to run erratically all over the ground. They
are about 1/8th inch in size, and colored from dark brown to black. They have the ability to bite, and
also have special hairs on their bodies that can inject formic acid into their enemies and prey. They
have been known to kill dogs and pigs in some areas. Crazy Ants do not create trails like other ants.
They forage after seeds, honeydew, other insects, and a wide variety of household foods. In the sum-
mer, they prefer high-protein foods, which are necessary for egg production. Like other ants, they will
tend to aphids and other insects that create the honeydew that they collect. The Caribbean Crazy Ant is
spreading rapidly in Florida. It is a lighter brown color, has thick foraging trails, and is difficult to control.

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