In many ways, citronella ants are easier to identify than other ant species. This is mainly because of their unusual yellow coloring as well as the unusual lemony odor that they emit. Most people consider citronella ants a nuisance species because they generally do not damage property. Still, infestations of these pests can be annoyingly persistent, and people may suffer mild illnesses thanks to the contaminants that citronella ants regularly carry on their bodies.
Much of their life cycle is spent underground, but citronella ants may make their presence known in the summer as reproductive members of the colony begin flying up in swarms to mate. When these swarms occur adjacent to or even inside a building, this indicates that the ants have or soon will make their way indoors. Once an infestation begins, it is enormously difficult to stop. However, successful eradication is ensured with the help of a licensed pest control technician.
Citronella ants also may be spotted indoors in places like kitchens, pantries, dining rooms, cafeterias and any other room in which food may be stored or consumed. As long as food is not stored in an ant-proof manner, this problem will persist. Once again, it is with the assistance of an exterminator that such problems can be brought under control.
WHAT DO
CITRONELLA ANTS
LOOK LIKE?
Rather than being an ordinary color, such as black, like other common ant species, citronella ants are yellow.
The citronella ant colony relies on its worker caste for its food. Accordingly, there are more workers than any other type of ant in the nest. At four millimeters in length, adult workers are quite small. They have a single node on the pedicel connecting the abdomen to the thorax. Like other species, citronella ants have surprisingly complex antennae that are divided into a dozen segments.
When citronella ant infestations are underway, people also may see reproductive swarmers. These colony members may be slightly larger than the workers. Although they may be the same shade of yellow, it is not unusual to see light brown swarmers too. These ants have translucent, smoky-colored wings that the female sheds shortly after mating.
WHERE DO
CITRONELLA
ANTS LIVE?
For a citronella ant colony to be successful, the members must spend the majority of their time underground. This location provides them with an adequate amount of humidity. Appropriate places for citronella ant nests may include forests and pastures, and a fallen tree may provide the perfect habitat.
Some citronella ant colonies do become established in less appropriate locales. These may include lawns and gardens or adjacent to a man-made structure. If the nest is located in close proximity to a building, then the citronella ant colony may benefit from heat that is generated by the structure. In fact, this heat may prove to accelerate the citronella ant life cycle. Spring or fall swarming, resulting in even larger infestations, are common in these situations.
When a small pile of soil is discovered alongside a tiny opening in a garden or lawn, then a citronella ant infestation may be occurring. Rarely, a nest may be established inside or beneath a man-made structure, usually in a crawl space or basement. This is especially likely in structures that have problems with condensation or water leaks.
WHAT DO
CITRONELLA
ANTS EAT?
Citronella ants shun almost all edible items except for honeydew. This is a substance that is excreted by various insects that typically feed on plant roots. Honeydew is found below the ground surface, which is where citronella ants spend most of their lives. However, citronella ants are attracted by sweet foods and drinks that people enjoy. This means that they may be found in places where people eat or keep food, dining on crumbs, spills or stored items, especially those with high sugar content.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY
CITRONELLA
ANTS
Citronella ants frequently are categorized as nuisance pests, which means that they are not known for causing significant property or structural damage. Nonetheless, when citronella ants are found indoors, it is safe to infer that the building is vulnerable to additional pest infestations because of cracks, gaps and other potentially tiny openings. These other pests may cause grave damage to the building.
ARE
CITRONELLA
ANTS AGGRESSIVE?
Most people rarely, if ever, see citronella ants because these insects spend almost their entire life beneath the ground's surface. Accordingly, there is little reason to fear an encounter with this species. Swarmers are the exception to this rule. They must fly to mate, and observing such a swarm may be the property owner's first clue that an infestation is happening. This unlooked-for event can seem like an invasion.
DO
CITRONELLA
ANTS CARRY DISEASE?
While other ant species commonly are found in kitchens and other rooms in which food may be found, citronella ants tend to avoid these situations. If nesting indoors, they may make their way into food that is intended to be consumed by people or pets. This may lead to cases of food poisoning.
It further is worth mentioning that when they are crushed, the citronella ant gives off a citrus-tinted scent. Many people dislike this odor, but some are actually allergic to the chemical that causes this smell, especially if it contacts their skin.
HOW TO DETECT
CITRONELLA
ANTS
Signs of a citronella ant issue include:
• Earthen mounds mar the surfaces of gardens and lawns • Tiny piles of soil are discovered around paved surfaces or foundations • Yellow ants swarming, especially in the summer
HOW TO PREVENT
CITRONELLA
ANTS
To help prevent citronella ant issues the following steps should be taken:
• Place good-quality screens on all doors and windows • Look for and fill cracks in foundations • Add weather stripping around doors and windows • Inspect entrances for plumbing pipes and utility lines to ensure they are sealed • Revamp food storage practices to ensure food is pest-proof
HOW WE TREAT FOR ANTS
Ants are the number one pest control issue and can prove virtually impossible for home and business owners to solve on their own. Ending an ant infestation typically requires proper ant identification, locating and destroying the nest or colony, as well as the use and application of specialized products.
As such, it is not advisable for property owners to attempt to eradicate an ant infestation without assistance from a professional pest control provider.
