Pyramid Ants

Pyramid Ants are easily identified in the field by their distinctive cone shaped mounds with an entrance hole in the center. Pyramid ants are in the subfamily Dolichoderinae

Pyramid Ants are 2-4 mm (1/12–1/6 in) long. Integument thin. Twelve-segmented antennae. Propodeum bearing a tooth-like protuberance projecting vertically in side view. Ventral surface of head with a few very long, curved hairs, used for carrying pellets of damp sand.

Pyramid Ants are often thought of as a “weedy” type species. This is due to the fact that they quickly inhabit and prefer highly disturbed areas. They are most often found in pastures, open fields, open scrub, sandhills, dunes, lawns and roadsides. They particularly favor sandy soils such as are found in the lower half of the state.

Nest in soil, sandy soil preferred. Typically, nest has a single entrance surrounded by crater-shaped mound of soil and a single queen per nest. One dark colored species, however, is a temporary parasite on the most common orange species and occupies a number of nests at a time, with multiple queens.

Pyramid Ants preference for sweets, particularly honeydew of sap-sucking insects such as aphids, mealybugs, leafhoppers and whiteflies. The ants will tend to these insects and protect them. When foraging the workers move quickly in strong, easily detected trails.

Management :Pyramid ant colonies are small and nesting chambers are formed just below the surface of the soil, providing easy access to the entire colony. Individual colonies can be treated by injecting an appropriate insecticide directly into the entrance hole using a compressed air sprayer. The use of a crack and crevice tip fitted on the spray nozzle should be inserted directly into the entrance hole. Two or three ounces are needed to treat each colony. Colonies found under items on the ground can be drenched with a few ounces of insecticide.

If you ever have any bug related issues in New York City, feel free to call us either at Beyond Pest Control. Once again, and I can’t stress this enough we are on call twenty four hours a day seven days a week to kill those bugs, we aren’t kidding whether you call us at 9 am or midnight we will be available to take your call and either get rid of the bug infestation, or answer any questions you may have concerning the bug issue. I can honestly guarantee that there will be someone to answer that call. We make it our business to make you bug free!

If you have any questions about how to get rid of ants check out the rest of our website or go to our blog at http://nypestpro.blogspot.com.

Beyond Pest Control.

Our pest control specialists service all NYC boroughs, including Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island (both Nassau & Suffolk counties), Staten Island and even both Westchester & Rockland counties.