Pharaoh Ants: Interesting Facts About Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants are special species of ants, they are different from the most common house ants. As a result, these ants are not easily found. In this article, all the interesting facts about pharaoh ants are discussed, as you read further you will get to discover these facts.

 

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Facts About Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants are small light brown ants belonging to the Monomorium Pharaonis species of ants, it is classified into Kingdom Animalia, phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, Order of Hymenoptera, Family Formicidae, Subfamily Myrmicinae, Tribe of Solenopsidini and a Genus of Monomorium. This best classifies how unique the pharaoh ant is.

However, not minding it’s unique classification, it’s still an ant so it is considered as a nuisance in the human environment. This ant was first discovered in Europe and the United State, moreover, it is mostly found in the United State. These ants also belong to a polygynous species of ants (i.e every colony has a head which is a queen), having different queen does not hinder them from interacting with each other.

The pharaoh ants can survive harsh weather conditions and even in temperate regions, they prefer living in buildings and anywhere comfortable with abundant food.

 

Appearance

This small light brown ant has good looks, its measures about 1-2mm long, somewhat more than an inch. They are also seen to be reddish-brown texture with a shaded abdomen. This ant working species have a non-responding stinger used to form pheromones.

The waist path along the thorax and abdomen section has two nodes and the thorax is spineless. pharaoh ant eyesight is very poor and they have an average of 30-32 ommatidia. The antennal section has three broken districts and a further longer section.

The male pharaoh ant is about 3mm long, black, wing attachment but no flight. However, the queen as their head measures 3.6-5mm long, they usually have wings but even with these wings they do not fly, immediately after mating, this ant die and as a result, their gene the are lost immediately.

 

The Life cycle of Pharaoh Ants

The head of the pharaoh ant being the queen can at least lay a maximum of hundred eggs throughout her lifetime, while most pre-matured queens may lay 10-12 eggs per sate on the first day of egg reproduction and only four to seven eggs per sate later. At a weather degree of 27 °C that is 80 °F and 80% relative humidity, eggs are likely to hatch in 4 days to a week.

However, the larval takes a period of about 19 to 20 days in most cases, the pre-pupal period takes about 3 days and a pupal period of 9 days. Most colonies carry several queens, winged males, workers, eggs, larvae, pre-pupae and pupae.

Moreover, the male and female forms need 4 to 5 additional days to recover and reproduce, and for the egg to be sexually matured, it takes these ants about 35 to 45 days, this is solely on the environmental temperature and relative humidity. However, the breeding process continues all round the year both in temperate environment and mating takes place in the nest.

 

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The Lifespan of Pharaoh Ant

Pharaoh ants can endure brutal climate conditions and even in mild districts, they incline toward living in structures and anyplace alright with copious nourishment. However, these ants do not seem to live longer than a year, in a simple sentence, the lifespan of the pharaoh ants is about 4 to 12 months.

Furthermore, before it gets to this period of time, the ants must have completed its full life cycle after which they die.

 

Picture of Pharaoh Ants

 

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Pharaoh Ant Bite

In most cases, being bitten is the first thought that will come across anyone’s mind when ants are found. The pharaoh ant is equally an ant so it is not excluded, though these ants have a pincer-like jaw which makes it suitable for bitting this ant does not bite in other species of ants they will readily bite.

However, it is good you know they do not bite but this does not guarantee that if they are allowed to breed in places like stores, malls, kitchen, hospitals, offices, hotels and motels, food factories, bakeries and more, they won’t cause a problem. It is certainly not so, in the long run, the pose serious threat to these places and are capable of damaging properties. So it’s best if you have a pest control professional take look and have it exterminated.

 

How to Get Rid of Pharaoh Ants

They are several ways with which pharaoh ants can be controlled and exterminated. Below is a summarized video on how to get rid of pharaoh ants.

 

Pharaoh Ants Borax

Using borax to get rid of ants is one of the best technique used, borax, otherwise known as sodium tetraborate is a white mineral in form of a powder is used to kill insects not just ants, However, a few decades ago, borax served as cleaning agent mainly used for stain removal.

Being used years back does not mean the technique isn’t effective, the best way to use this technique is by placing a protein mixed with borax substance for the pharaoh ants to feed. The amount of borax mixed needs to be in a minimal amount so as to sure they take it. Moreover, using a minimum amount of borax entails you will try this technique for a couple of days, it works effectively.

Pharaoh Ant Bait

Using bait is especially powerful on little pests, for example, ants, termites, and other most common household pests on the fact that the working pharaoh ants go in search of food and offer it to their colony.

Moreover, considering the nourishment sharing capacity of these ants, and also slow-acting bug spray bait is the best for controlling these ants. The ants conveying these baits and they do not pass on before they come back to the colony.

A portion of this more slow-acting ant bait lures the best ever control measures for eliminating the pharaoh ants than a normal anti-agents bug spray method.

How Does Pharaoh Ant Bait Work?

Having known what a pharaoh ant bait is, let’s look into how this bait works:

• The worker ants will be pulled in to the bait, return it to the home where the whole colony, including the queen, will be executed.
• The bait must be moderate acting so that the workers won’t be executed before they return to the home.
• It is important to expel some other nourishment rivalry while applying ant traps.
• Disregard the lure once the ants begin taking care of it (don’t upset ant activity).
• Destroying the laborers does little to control the settlement, in the event that 1% of a colony’s scavenging working ants can give adequate nourishment to help nest-bound queens and hatchlings.
• Bait stations or ant stakes are most effortless to utilize and most secure for nature.
• Be careful when baiting. Assuming there is any chance of this happening, find each conceivable passage point. On the off chance that the invasion is inside, remember to bait outside also.
• Results may take some time before it takes full effect.

 

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