Florida Ghost Ants

Ant trails and inspection.

Florida ghost ants. Ghost ants often enter homes by trailing along branches of trees and shrubs in direct contact with the structure. Behavior diet habits. The first step would be looking for indoor and outdoor nesting spots. It is easy for ghost ants and other small insects to gain access to homes and buildings through tiny cracks or gaps in the foundation most often around doors and windows.

Ghost ants are tropical ants that have been in south and central florida for several years. Ghost ants are pesky little insects who got their name by looking much like tiny white apparitions who suddenly appear and seem to disappear just as quickly. They are a tropical ant but can be found in greenhouses in the northern states. They are easily transported in boxes crates potted plants and even in household goods that are being shipped.

In northern states these ants have been known to survive only in heated buildings and greenhouses. Heavy rains have given a rise to one of the most problematic pests homeowners in central florida have had to fight for quite some time. How to get rid of ghost ants. The ghost ant is a tropical species found mainly in south and central florida.

Ghost ants will commonly eat both sweets and grease protein sources. Having originated in either africa or asia the ghost ant or tapinoma melanocephalum has been spotted all around the globe from puerto rico to the caribbean and even in canada. Identification biology page. Look for their trails and nests both inside and outside.

The ghost ant tapinoma melanocephalum fabricius was considered a nuisance ant that was occasionally important as a house pest within florida as late as 1988. Ghost ants and how to control them in florida. Controlling ghost ants. Gainesville florida homeowners may be haunted by more than the usual ghouls and goblins this time of year as ghost ants show up in kitchens in search of a sweet treat.

Of course i am talking about ghost ants. Sightings of small ghost ant workers is the usual sign of their presence. They readily eat honeydew honeydew excreting insects both alive and dead. Signs of a ghost ant infestation.

The ants take them back to the nest and distribute it to all colony members and the queens. To prevent a ghost ant infestation homeowners should keep shrubbery trimmed ensure branches are cut back leaf litter and debris is removed and store firewood at least 20 feet away from the home. The ghost ant has traveled the world through trade and commerce ultimately landing in the state of florida as well as other warm weather states like texas and hawaii. Ghost ant control before implementing the following steps please verify the ant species by reading our ghost ants.