Pest Library
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All it takes is one pest sighting to ruin the reputation you’ve worked so hard to build.
Harvester Ant
Pogonomyrmex spp
You can find harvester ants in dirt mounds that are typically flat and broad. They remove all plant life around their mound to keep it from becoming shaded. A lack of vegetation is an easy way to spot harvester ant colonies. These ants can be aggressive and have a painful sting that can be harmful to people with allergies or to animals.
RISK LEVEL:
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Risk is defined as how much damage each pest can be to you, your family, or your home
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| Class: | Order: | Family: | |
| Insecta | Hymenoptera | Formicidae | |
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| Size: | Harvester ant workers are about 1/4-1/2 in (4.7-11.5 mm) long. |
| Color: | Orange to reddish to dark brown or brownish black; some species with two colors. |
| Characteristics: | Usually red in color, these ants can grow to be 1/2 inch long. They have a row of hairs underneath their head. These ants can sting. |
| Geographic Range: | West of the Mississippi River in the United States, except for the Florida harvester ant, which is found in the eastern U.S. |
| Food: | These ants eat seeds, but usually feed on one species until it is gone and then start in on another kind. They also eat insects. They stay in the nest during the hot part of the day. There are two patterns of feeding behavior. California harvester ants leave the nest one by one and go in all directions. Red harvester ants start out from the nest on main routes on which they have left a scent; where these routes stop they go forth individually. |
| Biology: | Some species are warlike and almost always fight when they run into even their own species from other colonies. Other species do not fight. Swarming occurs during the summer. There are both male and female swarmers. Mating occurs outside the nest, after which the females fly off to start new colonies. |
- Look for large-sized nest mounds that can be 1-4 feet across.
- Look for stripped vegetation around these mounds. Harvester ants remove any plant life surrounding their nest.
- You may be stung if you come into contact with this type of ant.