Red harvester ants are not considered serious agricultural pests and they do not invade homes or structures. If you live outside of Texas, contact your local extension for management options. Management If you live in the State of Texas, contact your local county agent or entomologist for management information. Worker ants produced by the queen ant begin caring for other developing ants, enlarge the nest and forage for food. Larvae are white and legless, shaped like a crookneck squash with a small distinct head. Larvae hatch from eggs and developed through several stages (instars). After dropping her wings, the queen ant digs a burrow and produces a few eggs. Males soon die and females seek a suitable nesting site. Winged males and females swarm, pair and mate. Mating occurs from spring to fall each year, but generally follows summer rains (Davis 2016). Life CycleĪ colony of harvester ants live for 15-20 years and reach reproductive and stable colony size of about 12,000 workers at approximately 5 years (Gordon 1995). Worker harvester ants are often collected or sold as inhabitants of ant farms. They are a favorite food source of horned lizards. In addition to seeds, dead insects are also collected for food. They use their large mandibles to grind seeds into a “bread” like material which they store in their nests in area termed “granaries”. Their foraging range is typically 25-30 m 2 (Gordon 1995). Red harvester ant foragers collect grass seeds and store them in their nests. Red harvester ants are most active during hot, dry conditions. They are common along the edges of dirt roads. Habitat & HostsĪlthough some species of harvester ant prefer wooded environments, the red harvester ant prefers open grasslands, especially areas with clay loam soils. Effects of the stings can spread along lymph channels and may be medically serious. Based on the Schmidt sting pain index, red harvester ants rate a pain level of 3 on the 1-4 scale (Schmidt et al. Worker ants can bite and produce a painful sting but are generally reluctant to sting. Red imported fire ant generally do not prey upon harvester ants, but out compete them for resources. Red harvester ants, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, are common in Texas, but have suffered decline in much of the state due to red imported fire ant. Species exist throughout much of the United States, Canada and Mexico. There are hundreds of harvester ant species world wide, with 22 species of harvester ants in the United States, and 12 within the state of Texas. Near the entrance hole there will be a midden, which serves as a trash dump where, pebbles, dead ants, and other discarded waste accumulates. The bare ground surrounding the entrance hole is often covered with small pebbles excavated from the tunnels within the nest. Usually there is no vegetation within a 3 to 6 feet circular around the central opening of their colony and along foraging trails radiating from the colony. They have large, square heads, elbowed antennae, large mandibles and no spines on the body. Red harvester ant workers are 1/4 to 1/2-inch long and red to dark brown. Vinson, John Jackman Most recently reviewed by: David Kerns (2018) Common Name(s): Red Ant, Red Harvester Ant Description Red harvester antsArticle author: Bradleigh S.
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