Yellow Citronella Ants

This species of ants belong to the hymenoptera aeanthoyops family while the bigger yellow is grouped into the order hymenoptera, the family formicidae and the genus aeanthomyops. In most cases, they can be found in New England as well as the Midwest; meanwhile, they are more rampant coast to coast. Yellow ants are very huge and they range from 4mm to 4.5mm long. The workers are light yellow to yellowish red; on the other hand, those winged reproductive are usually brown.

Again, the abdominal pedicel is made up of a single segment. The antennae consist of 12 segments while the scapes are not as long as the head. The shape of the thorax is not equally curved while the top of the abdomen comprises of a fringe of hairs citronella is added to the name simply because it usually emits very unique citronella odor anytime their colonies are tampered with or anyone is smashed.

Despite the fact that yellow citronella ant is a well known structural pest, little is known about its biology in general. On the average, a single colony comprises of some thousands of workers with only one queen. Additionally, the bigger yellow ants usually position their nest inside a rotting wood, beneath the soil, under stones as well as within the foundations of installations. It can easily be found in the crawlspaces under houses and many a times the pest control expertise do uncover them in the process of digging trenches while preparing to exterminate termite. Again, these species of ant take preference in nesting inside or wood destroyed by termites.

The bigger yellow ant workers dig soil for their nest galleries. Outside buildings, they usually accumulate dirt refuse beside their nesting sites which invariably become very unpleasant mounds. Whenever there is one infestation beneath the floor of any building, these ants will carry the soil and gather it together to form a mound on top of the floor. The homeowners or building occupants may find this disgusting as the keep repeating it after clearing it off.

As if that is not enough, dirts are usually being littered around in between cracks inside the floor and the walls. Giving the nocturnal attitude of these ants, home owners find it difficult to catch them in the act of digging.

Additionally, the larger yellow ants predominantly feed on the secretions of other insects. Again, they go further to harvest the honeydew being produced by the subterranean aphids as well as mealy bugs.

Fresh problems often come up anytime these ants want to go into reproduction and extend their colony. The winged reproductive agents including male and females usually swarm in between spring and the fall onset. Whereas the female swarmers are measured around 10mm long while the males relatively smaller in size. The reproductive will always swarm inside the house where the ant nest is located within a structure.

On many occasion, a lot of individuals mistake the winged ants as termites. Apparently, ants consist of pinched waist whereas termites have straight bodies. Be rest assured that the winged yellow ant finds it difficult to reproduce inside house, hence it will die without long. It is now your duty to either sweep it off or vacuum them after death. With any quality aerosol pesticide such as raid, the entire process is drastically reduced.

Besides, citronella ants and pharaoh ants are not exactly same despite the fact that both of them are yellow. Note that pharaoh ants are not as big as citronella ants also it does not posses same unique citrus odor of citronella ants to control as that of pharaoh ants.

As control measure for citronella ant, track them to their nest, cover up the cracks inside foundation concrete or at the bottom of the basement walls one maintain cleanliness in the compound sprinkle some advance 375 a granular ant bait or diatomaceous earth around the entrance of the colony. Alternatively, you may pour some gallons of hot water inside the entrance; this will destroy both garden and the entire colony.