Latin: Monomorium pharaonis L.
The pharaoh ant is an ant of tropical origin, but to this day is not limited to a particular continent. The small ant with the Latin name Monomorium pharaonis L. is also found in Denmark, where it was first discovered back in 1920. In Denmark, however, the pharaoh ant is completely dependent on heat sources such as central heat to thrive.
Appearance
The pharaoh ant is not a big size. In fact, a full-grown worker ant only measures about 2.2 to 2.5 millimeters, while males can grow slightly larger. The queens, however, surpass these in size, as they are usually between 4 and 5 millimeters.
The color of the little pharaoh ant changes between light yellowish to a more reddish-brown color. Its rear body is also a bit darker than the front body. The fore and hind body are divided by a two-jointed stem.
Biology and behavior
Unlike most other species of ants, there is no shortage of queens in the pharaoh ants. Although they live in colonies, it is not uncommon for many queens to appear in each nest up to 2,000 queens in a colony. The way in which they establish these colonies is also extremely interesting, as a colony is created by some workers, males and queens leaving the original colony to create their own. A colony can accommodate more than 300,000 individuals, and the departing pharaoh ants leave the colony once it has reached a certain size. They take with them both eggs and larvae from the old colony.
When a new nest is established, it occurs in cracks, crevices or dark spaces located near a heat source. This heat source should preferably have a temperature of between 27 and 30 ° C, which constitutes the optimal conditions for the pharaoh ants.
It is not unheard of for the pharaoh ants to form many colonies in the same area or building. But they still manage to live in peaceful coexistence with each other. Inside the nest live larvae, pupae as well as the females and queens that take care of the egg laying. But the many workers also stay in the nest from time to time, where they provide food for the nest’s small offspring and generally take care of their needs.
The development of the pharaoh ants is happening quite rapidly. In fact, it only takes about 40 days for an ant to undergo evolution from egg to adult, just as their life cycle only lasts about 3 to 4 months.
There are also no special times of the year when hatching takes place. It happens regardless of the season. The same is true of the formation of new colonies, which is also a continuous process that takes place all year round.
The mating takes place in secret, and then the male has played his role and dies. The queens, on the other hand, shed their wings, after which they seek to return to their original colonies. That is why new young queens are always ready behind the scenes to take over the legacy.
There is hustle around the ants’ nest, where the many working ants are constantly busy looking for water and food and bringing it back to the nest. If they find a good food source, they lay out scent tracks so they can find it again.
They especially love sweet things such as sugar, jam, or honey, but are also like to throw themselves over meat, cheese, or similar fatty foods. However, it is not only ordinary foods that can make up a meal for a pharaoh ant. They like to eat dead insects or mice – or the leftovers from here.
Damage
As described, the worker ants are busy providing food for the nest. And they like to find this food in places where there is easy access to it. Therefore, the pharaoh ant likes to settle in shops or food warehouses or restaurants, canteens, bakeries, and commercial kitchens. They can therefore be a major nuisance when they manage to enter food.
But pharaoh ants are not just an annoying nuisance. They can also pose a risk of infection if they manage to enter a hospital, where they can find bandages, wounds, or sterile packaging.
Prevention and pest control
If the pharaoh ant intrudes into a private residence, it is often because larger or smaller communities have been introduced through other objects. For example, through moving goods or as a souvenir from an exotic journey. Therefore, one should be careful if moving goods that are known to have resided in an infected property. Because if the pharaoh ant is first indoors in a residential building, it can easily spread from apartment to apartment through pipe penetrations and the like.
It may be difficult to fight a major outbreak of pharaoh ants. It is first and foremost a matter of finding the hearth – or places – so that one can make a single attack on them. To find their nest, you can make traps with bait. For example, raw pork liver can be placed in plastic boxes with holes from which the ants are attracted.
There are a wide variety of products that can be used to kill the pharaoh ants. Ranging from insect spray to insect powder and poison. Be aware, however, that getting them all to life can be a lengthy process and that treatment must be repeated at regular intervals. It may be beneficial to seek the help of an authorized pest controller to both identify the problem and carry out the control.
"Pests in House and Home"
"Bed Bugs - Bites, Stings and Itches"
"Food Pests"
"Husets dyreliv" (Insects Around the House - Only danish)
"Skadedyr i træ" (Timber Pests - Only danish)
"Stuefluen" (Common Housefly - Only danish)