ANTS

Ants are social insects that live in colonies being some of the most successful of insects. Ant colonies include one or more queens, workers, eggs, larvae and pupae. The worker ants maintain their developed structures known as "nests". Nests protect the ants against their enemies, provide protection against extremes of weather, and are often placed close to water and food sources. Some ant species nest in the ground, many times under concrete or slabs. Some species will be found in wood such as fence posts, dead logs, and hollow trees, or within structures. Termites also can be found in wood, but their damage will be a lot more extensive because "Carpenter Ants" will only dig out or hollow out a cavity known as a nest gallery. Ants cannot eat and digest wood as termites, because they can't digest cellulose. Some ant species will eat a variety of foods, and others will eat only a narrow range of foods. Food preferences can change, depending on the specific needs of the colony. Foraging ants will typically bring back proteins to the queen or queens during periods of high egg production, then switch back to sugars or greases as a maintenance growth or larvae growth. Once a food source is found, they will lay down a hormone called a pheromone to serve as a chemical trail so that other ants can find their way to and from the food source to the nest.

IDENTIFICATION:
There are several kinds of ants that may occur in and around the home ranging in size from about 1/32 to 3/4 of an inch long. Their colors are yellowish, light brown, reddish-brown, brownish-black, or jet black. Ants, as all insects, have three body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. Most are wingless, but the homeowner sometimes may confuse swarming, winged ants with swarming, winged termites, causing alarm. Ants can be easily distinguished from termites by several characteristics:

•     Ant bodies appear constricted or pinched in at the waist while termites do not have the waist constriction.
•     Ants have elbowed antennae, while termites have straight, bead-like antennae.
•     The forewings of ants are much larger than the hindwings. Termites' wings are equal in size and shape.
•     Ant wings are transparent or brownish, while termite wings are milky-white or grayish and longer than the body.
•     Ant wings are firmly attached, while termite wings are easily removed or shed (fall off).