Helpful UGA publications on ant control

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ant from pub
Black carpenter ants (≈3/8 up to ≈5/8 inch) are dull black and their abdomens are covered with fine, yellowish hairs. They are most common inland in central and northern Georgia.

Daniel R. Suiter and Brian T. Forschler, UGA Department of Entomology

Carpenter ants are pests for several reasons. First, they are considered mild wood-destroying organisms because they chew wood to create nest sites. They do not eat wood (as do termites), but excavate it with their strong, serrated mandibles to create random galleries where they nest. Second, because of their abundance and large size carpenter ants can be a nuisance when they forage in and around the home. Read the entire publication on Carpenter Ants

Also see Biology and Management of Carpenter Ants

 

Argentine ants form strong foraging trails.
Argentine ants form strong foraging trails.

Argentine Ants

Daniel R. Suiter and Brian T. Forschler, UGA Department of Entomology

Argentine ants are one of the most common nuisance insect pests in the southeastern United States and in California. Worker ants are light brown and about three-sixteenths of an inch long.

A mature colony of Argentine ants can consist of a million or more worker ants and hundreds of queens. Argentine ants form large colonies that consist of numerous nest sites that encompass large foraging areas (often multiple properties). Ants may travel hundreds of feet from nest sites to feeding sites and other nest sites on well-organized foraging trails (Figure 2). Argentine ant trails have been measured in excess of 350 feet in Georgia. Read more on Argentine Ant Control

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