How do I get rid of acrobat ants?
Cypermethrin products such as Cynoff WP and Demon WP Insecticide are most effective on Acrobat Ants. Nests in Structural Voids should be treated with Delta Dust Insecticide. If the existing point of entry is not large enough to inject the dust, a hole may be drilled and later repaired.
Are acrobat ants harmful?
Though acrobat ants can bite people and animals if handled or threatened, they are not considered dangerous. More of a nuisance pest, acrobat ants contaminate food and may strip the insulation from wires in homes and businesses-resulting in short circuits.
Why are they called acrobat ants?
Acrobat ants (Crematogaster spp.) get their name from their habit of acrobatically raising their abdomen above their head, especially when they are disturbed. When viewed from above, the abdomen is heart-shaped. There are several species of acrobat ants in the United States.
Do acrobat ants eat wood?
Though acrobat ants live in trees and damp or rotting wood, they don’t eat the wood. Outdoors, acrobat ants feed on the honeydew that is excreted by insects like aphids.
How do I get rid of Acrobat ants in my house?
Move firewood piles away from the home. It may even be necessary to remove a tree stump that the ants have used for a nesting site. Place ant baits in areas where acrobat ants are found. Make sure the ants are feeding on the baits and allow the ants to feed for several days to return the bait toxicants to their nests.
How do I get rid of Acrobat ants naturally?
Keep trees and shrubs trimmed back from the side of the structure so that they don’t touch the side of your house. Move firewood piles and remove tree debris away from the side of your home. Tree stumps in your yard might need removal as they make prime Acrobat ant nesting sites.
Do acrobat ants destroy wood?
The acrobat ant (Crematogaster ashmeadi) gets its name from its habit of raising its abdomen over its head and thorax when alarmed. These ants do minimal damage to wood, but their frass may be a minor nuisance to homeowners. Workers may occasionally bite if their colony is disturbed.
Are acrobat ants wood destroying insects?
Acrobat Ants feed primarily on honeydew produced by aphids, but are considered Wood Destroying Insects because of their wood boring habits. A professional exterminator is needed to eradicate these ants as they are normally found in the voids of a home.
Are acrobat ants the same as carpenter ants?
Acrobat ants, Crema- togaster sp., are often confused with carpenter ants since both may nest in dead wood. Acrobat ants are smaller than carpenter ants, 1⁄8 inch to 3⁄8 inch, and have a heart-shaped abdomen. unequal in length, with the front pair longer than the hind pair.
How do I get rid of acrobat ants naturally?
What does an acrobat ant look like?
What Do Acrobat Ants Look Like? Acrobat ants are light brown to black in color. They are relatively small, usually measuring about 1/8” (3.2 mm) in length. Acrobat ants have a segmented body and when looked down upon, the shape of their abdomen resembles a heart.
How do I identify acrobat ants?
Acrobat ants are light brown to black in color. They are relatively small, usually measuring about 1/8” (3.2 mm) in length. Queens, however, are generally larger but can range in size up to 3/8” (10 mm) long. Acrobat ants have a segmented body and when looked down upon, the shape of their abdomen resembles a heart.
Why are acrobat ants considered to be pests?
Crematogaster spp. or Acrobat Ants are native insects. They become pests because they have a tendency to nest in decaying, moist wood. Several times this decaying wood can be a tree, where the ants can conquer the chambers of termites, wood-boring beetles, and caterpillars.
How big does an acrobat ant ant get?
Acrobat ants are light brown to black in color. They are relatively small, usually measuring about 1/8” (3.2 mm) in length.
Where can you find acrobat ants in Texas?
Of the 27 species known of acrobat ants known from the United States, 17 occur in Texas. C. punctulata, C. laeviuscula and C. minitussima occur widely throughout the state, six species are found only in eastern Texas and eight occur only in western Texas.
Where do acrobat ants like to nest in trees?
Fruit trees, roses and many shrubs serve as hosts for aphids and may contribute to ant infestations in buildings. Most infestations inside are the result of workers searching for food. Acrobat ants are like carpenter ants in that they prefer to nest in moist or rotted wood. Colonies are most often found in tree holes, dead limbs, stumps and logs.