Ants

Common pest ant species:

• Darwin's Ant Doleromyrma darwiniana,
• Argentine Ant Linepithema humile,
• White Footed Ant Technomyrex difficilis (previously albipes) and
• NZ Native Chelaner antarcticus

Ants, along with Bees, Wasps and Termites are social insects and are dependent on each other for their survival. Ant colonies contain at least 3 castes (some have a fourth caste of soldier ants):

• Queens -  which are fertilised females after the wings are cast off
• Males – short lived often with wings to take part in nuptial flights with females that become queens
• Workers - usually sterile females comprising the bulk of the colony.

Invasive Ants such as Argentine Ants are more than just a nuisance pest. They are also a threat to New Zealand's biodiversity as they attack and eliminate other insects and invertebrates when they move into a new area.

As nuisance pests ants can cause electrical and electronic faults when they get into equipment such as swith gear, exchanges and computers, they can contaminate food stuffs, and damage garden plants.

Ant colonies will often combine during Winter and separate again in Summer. During Midsummer - late Autumn, swarms of winged males and females of many species take off on nuptial flights. After their nuptials the ants fall to the ground, the males perish and the fertilised females, now queens, cast their wings and crawl off in search of locations for the establishment of new colonies.

Excavating a cavity below stones or trees, the new Queen begins laying her first eggs tending them through the larvae and pupal stages. Eventually, as the new workers emerge, the Queen is relieved of all her work duties and becomes an egg-laying ‘machine’, supported totally by the new workers.

More info below......

HOW TO CONTROL ANTS

Note: There are additional instructions for Argentine Ants here.

The ‘tricks’ to getting rid of ants are to eliminate the nests by killing the queens and to deny ants access to nest sites and the parts of your home and garden where they cause a nuisance.

1. Search - The queens of most species remain in the nest producing eggs and only venture out when moving to set up a new nest. The queens of Argentines are an exception in that they will also forage for food with the workers. This makes Argentines more invasive as the queens can be spread by being transported on vehicles, plants, boxes and goods of all sorts.
   In most cases the nest(s) will be in warm, dry sandy soil, often under a rock, paving stone, driveway etc. The position of the nest might be given away by a stream of worker ants going back and forth into a hole in the ground. Do not spray this entrance with insecticide yet. Spraying might serve only to induce the colony to leave and set up a nest or nests elsewhere and spread the problem.
2. 'Kill the queen/s' - First use bait. Workers feed on the bait and take it back to the nest to feed the queen(s) and larvae. Use many small amounts of bait where you see ants or have seen them in the past. NO Ants Gel Bait and Bait Stations contain a high protein gel bait while NO Ants Liquid Bait and NO Ants Liquid Bait and 3 Stations is higher in sweet carbohydrate. Ants change their feeding habits depending on the requirements of the nest. If the Gel is not being taken, try the liquid bait and vice versa. Argentines tend to prefer the higher protein bait.
   Ants are very sensitive to strong chemicals. All dishes or containers used to hold bait should be rinsed well with clean water and dried before use.
   Replenish the bait regularly until you see no more (or very few) insects feeding. Only then should you use spray insecticide to eradicate the nests and to act as a barrier to further infestation.
   Note: White Footed Ants are less susceptible to baits as they do not feed it directly to rest of the colony. They process food and produce a sweet secretion which they feed queens and larvae with. Thus they may have filtered out the toxin or have died before having a chance to pass it on. However, it is still worthwhile baiting first when treating.
3. Stop them with barriers – it is the trails of worker ants getting into your home, other building or onto your deck that are usually the nuisance caused by ants. NO Ants spray or a general insecticide such as NO Bugs Super can be used to spray the nest sites after baiting and to spray around your house to prevent ants pestering you. NO Ants and NO Bugs surface sprays will kill ants that cross the treated surfaces but will also act as a barrier. Many trailing ant species will detect the insecticide and avoid it. Kiwicare Organic NO Ants barrier is a non-insecticidal natural product that does not kill ants but can be used around the home to prevent ants moving in. Use it as an ant barrier.
   Note: Some ant species, particularly White Footed ants climb trees and walls, so check for trails going up surfaces and spray or paint barriers around the trunks of trees and plants close to the building and walls.
   Some ants such as Argentine Ants 'farm' aphids and scale insects for sweet secretions and it worth treating your plants with suitable garden insecticides to control these sap sucking plant pests and deny the ants their food supply.
4. Deny them a nest site – NO Ants Outdoors* and Ant Sand are formulated to deny ants the places they would set up a nest. NO Ants Outdoors can be sprinkled on flowerbeds and gravel pathways around the home. When watered in it penetrates the soil killing nests and acting as a ‘curtain’ barrier to prevent workers burrowing their way into your home. NO Ants Ant Sand can be brushed into the cracks and crevices in paving and driveways to kill nests and prevent ants using these places for nests. **An excellent alternative to NO Ants Outdoors is NO Insects Lawngard Prills from the Kiwicare Garden Range.

Testimonial - Learn how Heather got rid of ants from her home.

NO ANTS LIQUID ANT BAIT

For indoor and outdoor use.  NO Ants Liquid Bait is by necessity slow in action.  Allow time for the product to be taken back and introduced to the entire nest.  Up to one week or more is sometimes required to achieve control.

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NO ANTS LIQUID BAIT STATIONS

The ant bait stations are designed specifically for use with the NO Ants Liquid Ant Bait.  Each pack contains 60 ml of Liquid Ant Bait and 3 bait stations.

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NO ANTS GEL BAIT

Long lasting gel bait for interior and exterior use. NO Ants Gel Bait is an effective way to control ants by poisoning the whole nest. Squeeze a few drops of NO Ants Gel Bait onto pieces of metal, plastic or glass and position where the ants feed, across an ant trail, or near the nest.  The ants feed on and then take the gel back to the nest where it is fed to the queen and colony. Over time this eradicates the nest. 

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NO ANTS BAIT STATIONS

Ready to use indoors and outdoors. NO Ants Bait Stations are already loaded with NO Ants Gel Bait.  These ready to use bait stations are childproof but designed to facilitate access by feeding ants.  Place the bait stations on or adjacent to known ant trails or nests.  Cover to protect from sunlight and rain outside. 

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NO ANTS CONCENTRATE - Safe And Effective

For interior and exterior use. Ants attempting to cross treated areas will die. Once diluted, and applied by spray or brush, the product stays effective for up to 2 months. NO Ants concentrate can be diluted 5-1 with water or turps.

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NO ANTS TRIGGER PACK

Convenient 500ml ready to use spray.  NO Ants trigger offers all the features and benefits of NO Ants Concentrate in a handy, ready to use trigger pack.

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NO ANTS OUTDOORS

Exterior use only. Designed to control ants in home and industrial garden and outdoor areas where nests cannot be readily accessed. – such as scree and rock gardens, paths, gravel, brick, paving slab, scoria, tile, under patio and timber decking areas, lawn and garden.  Sprinkle NO Ants Outdoors, wet thoroughly and leave.  The insecticide will wash into the underlying soil and subterranean material. Kiwicare NO Insects Lawngard Prills are an effective alternative.

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NO INSECTS LAWNGARD PRILLS

This product is specifically formulated for use on ground and soil dwelling insects such as; ants, grass grubs, porina caterpillars, cluster flies, carrot rust fly, wire worms and slaters. Sprinkle granules over the problem areas, then water in well. The insecticide is carried into the soil where the grubs are feeding, or by direct contact of the porina caterpillar in their tunnels.

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NO ANTS ANT SAND

NO Ants Ant Sand is a fast acting, effective product to control ants outside the home, preventing them getting inside.  Apply to areas such as lawns, gardens, pathways and between paving stones. Where possible apply directly to areas such as trails and nests.

Note: Toxic to bees, fish and the aquatic environment. Do not apply within 2 metres of ponds or waterways.

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ORGANIC NO ANTS BARRIER – ready to use

Bio Gro approved product for ant treatment. Use as perimeter defence treatment for buildings, patio areas, trees.  Ants will not walk across the treated area. Using the brush supplied, apply a band of product around the entire structure or as close to the foundation wall as possible.

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MORE ANT INFORMATION

Argentine Ants are more difficult ants to deal with check out the specific instructions for this species.

Generalised life cycle

• Average 2.5 months
• Egg - Larva 12 - 60 days
• Larva - Pupa 11 - 60 days
• Pupa - Adult 10 - 25 days
• Minimum period egg-adult is 30 days, sometimes delayed for up to 4 - 5 months.

Classroom Clips

• The Maori name for ant is popokorua.
• Many thousands of Ant species exist worldwide.
• Only 20 or 30 species are recorded as New Zealand native.
• Of 7 - 8 imported species, White Footed (Technomyrmex albipes) is the most common and troublesome in Northern New Zealand households.
• One of New Zealand's latest imports, Darwin Ant (Doleromyrma darwiniana), arrived from Australia in the 1960's and is now well established throughout the country from Christchurch north. This annoying pest is 2mm long and medium dark brown in colour, gives off a musty, greasy odour.
• A very similar imported ant, Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile) is also now established in New Zealand. Its habits are even more annoying than Darwin Ant and is likely to be a major pest of the future. It can be differentiated from Darwins by the lack of pungent smell when squashed.
• Colonies can be very large and complex, with numbers ranging from just as few dozen through to many thousands.
• The number of queens in a colony can vary from 1 to several hundred.
• Winged females and workers of some species can bite and sting, causing considerable pain.
• Workers duties are to continually extending the nest, foraging for food, feeding the Queen and Brood, attending to the colony hygiene, defending the colony when danger threatens, transporting the eggs, larvae, pupae and queens to deeper galleries or another site if necessary.
• Some species cultivate and farm fungi, grown in compost composed of leaf fragments and insect excreta; milk aphids and mealy bugs for honey dew; collect fluids excreted from caterpillars; gather and store seeds for the winter.
• Ants can carry items many time their own size and weight over considerable distances.
• Foraging distances of up to 100 metres are common, which is the equivalent of a 2 metre tall person commuting 8 miles just for food.
• Ant diets and food preferences can be as varied as the ant species themselves. Diets also change along with the seasons and the weather. Carbohydrate, protein & vegetation feeders, ant menus include: sugar, jam, honey, confectionery, fruit leaves, plants, flowers, vegetables and the remains of animals, birds and other dead insects.
• Migrations normally take place when a food source gets low.
• Nest locations are varied and are often found in or below logs, foliage, stones, soil, concrete, walls building, garden vegetation, and both in wet and dry situations.
• Most species follow chemical marker trails laid by other ants returning from a food source. These trails are main highways for them and are often seen in gardens and kitchens.
• Ants are not normally recognised as being vectors of disease, although their foraging habits around dumps & drains would appear to suggest otherwise.

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