![]() Killing harvester ants is pretty straightforward, but it requires patience if you want to see the best results. ![]() Because they are elusive and usually nothing more than a nuisance, there’s no need to take extreme measures like you would with many other common pests. No matter your reasoning, there are several ways to get rid of harvester ants once and for all. After further development, mounds might start to form as well. If you usually have grass, you may notice it begin to die out around entry points to nests. Quick Tip: Signs of a potential infestation include patches of bare land that are free of vegetation. So, it’s better to get rid of harvester ants before they get all over the place. Nests of that size will wreak havoc on your yard. In only five years, a small colony can grow to an ant workforce of over 12,000! To make matters worse, harvester ants populations proliferate very quickly. Some harvester ant subspecies have queens that can live up to 30 years! Colonies survive as long as the queen is still producing offspring. You see, harvester ants are capable of living a long time. If you notice a sizable population already, it’s a good idea to nip this ant issue in the bud before it gets out of hand. That is, however, until they start growing in numbers. Most homeowners don’t pay them any attention. ![]() Whether or not you need to get rid of harvester ants is up to personal preference. Harvester ants are particularly annoying for cattle farmers, as their foraging disrupts grass growth and leaves less food for bovines. On top of all that, their activity helps to disperse seeds and increase the survival rates of young seedlings. If organic material like compost is in the ground, the harvester ants can help mix things together and create a nutrient-rich planting medium. The movement between layers of soil increases aeration, which only benefits plants. The ant’s foraging behavior can do a lot to improve farmland. In fact, many farmers welcome them onto their land! Is It Important To Keep Them Under Control? Most of the majesty of the ant’s home is underground and out of view. Their nests look like a small bare patch of land surrounded by healthy vegetation. Quick Tip: Harvester ants are relatively inconspicuous compared to other species. They look like two rounded nodules, making them easy to spot. The ants also have a pair of spines separating the abdomen and the thorax. Two large mandibles flank both sides and give the ant the ability to chew through tough seeds without missing a beat. Instead of the rounded dome of the fire ant, this species has a square-shaped head. The most significant indicator that you’re dealing with a harvester ant is the shape of the head. But if you look closely, you’ll notice a couple of standout differences. These insects are often mistaken for garden-variety fire ants. Several subspecies exist, but most harvester ants are reddish-brown in color. They’re about a quarter of an inch to half an inch long. ![]() In terms of appearance, harvester ants are pretty simple. Some of the deepest harvester ant nests were nearly 20 feet below the soil’s surface! This makes getting rid of harvester ants challenging. They create massive colonies with deep chambers to store food. As their name implies, these ants are skilled foragers. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |