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Harvester Ants
- Size
- 4.5 to 13mm long (1/6th to 1/2 inch)
- Color
- Regularly found in a range of colors from red, to brown to black. The most common sub-species found in California is red with slight lighter red legs.
- Locations
- Most often found in the dry climates of the South central and South Western States.
- A sub-species also ranges from Louisianna to North Carolina
- A sub-species also likes the higher altitude states up the Western side of the country as far North as Idaho & Wyoming
- Eating Preferences
- Stinger
- Nests
- No known indoor nesting
- Nest outside underground.
- Once established, their nests appear as flat circular areas with all vegetation around it cleared away
- They clear the vegetation to bring the sun's warmth to the nest and to keep down moisture levels
- Bare circular nests average 3 to 35 feet across and can run as deep as 15 feet down
- The extensive tunneling that goes into these nests regularly results in erosion damage to roads, sidewalks and airplane runways
- Propagation
- Winged ants swarm and start new colonies from June to October.
- Most swarms occur in afternoons after rains in August and September for most States - and in June and July in California
- Foraging
- 100 and 200 foot long foraging trails are easy to find between 90 and 115 degrees.
- They are typically inactive when it's not in the 90-115 degree range
- Ferocity
- Harvester Ants are incredibly able attackers if they feel you're attacking their nest.
- Young children and Harvester Ants typically cannot share a yard
- Piglets in California have been known to die from the after effects of a viscious attack when they inadvertantly wander onto a nest
- How to Kill
- Use Maxforce Granular Bait
- Track down and bait every trail you can find
- Sprinkle bait around nesting sites - but not directly onto the nest - take care when approaching Harvester Ant nests
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