E&PP Info # 786 June 2008 Key to One Node Tennessee Urban Pest Ants Sting at tip of gaster; 1/5 inch; dark brown; node almost rectangular; shiny mesopleuron Obvious node (bump) on waist No opening at tip of gaster, slit-like opening underside, one segment in from tip Circular opening at tip of gaster orange; 1/8 inch; very sweet odor; active at high temps Asian needle ant Other Lasius ants; 6- segmented maxillary palps; many mounds in yards; 1/10 inch Forelius sp. Odorous house ant No or very low node (bump) on waist (dark brown, black; 1/8 inch; rotten coconut odor when crushed) Thorax uneven when viewed from the side Red and Black= 1/8-1/4; Allegheny mound ant Dark brown; 1/8 inch; coconut/musty odor No notch on clypeus, Larger ants, 1/4 – 1/2 inch Median notch on clypeus, smaller carpenter ants, <1/3 inch Thorax evenly rounded when viewed from the side Nuisance carpenter ant, Camponotus (Myrmentoma) sp. Propodeum with peak; top surface of propodeum shorter than downward-sloping surface Carpenter ant Thorax hour-glass shaped when viewed from above; erect (stiff) hairs on head and gaster; legs in proportion to body; active at cooler temps; 1/8 inch Antennal scape (1 st segment) more than 1.5x longer than head Very long legs; 1/8 inch Argentine ant Crazy ant Antennal scape (1 st segment) not more than 1.5x longer than head Propodeum without peak; Top surface of propodeum longer than downward sloping surface or surfaces evenly rounded and not distinguishable False honey or winter ant Lasius alienus Lemon odor when crushed, small eyes; 3- segmented maxillary palp; 3/16 inch All black = 3/8 inch; black field ant Yellow ants Lasius neoniger ant.edb.miyakyo-u.ac.jp Jen Fogarty antweb.org Modified from Hedges PCT Field Guide for the Mgmt of Structure-Infesting Ants.

E&PP Info # 785 June 2008 Key to Two Node Tennessee Urban Pest Ants One pair of spines on thoraxNo spines on thorax Pavement ant Waist attached to front, middle of gaster No antennal club 1/8 – ¼ inch, workers different sizes Imported fire ants Red IFA= reddish brown head and thorax, darker gaster Black IFA = chocolate brown head and thorax, golden spot on dark gaster, sharp posterior border Hybrid IFA = intermediate characters; often more similar to black, but golden spot with wavy posterior border Thief ant Orange to golden; end of gaster darker Black Acrobat ants New world army ants, Neivamyrmex spp. Little black ant waist attached to front, top of gaster; gaster heart-shaped; 1/8 – 1/4 inch 10-segmented antennae; 2- segmented antennal club Antennae without club; eyes very small or absent Aphaenogaster sp. Big-headed ants Tiny, 1/16 inch, yellow 12-segmented antennae, 3- segmented antennal club; 1/16 inch Antennae with club Pharaoh ant Step-like thorax; several species; ~1/4 inch; common in rotting wood Antennal club present Dimorphic, workers ; majors with large head; reddish- to golden-brown; 1/8 inch Workers 1/10 – 1/8 inch; dark brown with ridges on head and sides of thorax workers with 2- segmented waist; winged male with 1-segmented waist; 1/3 – ½ inch Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, and resource development. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture and county governments cooperating. UT Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. Modified from Hedges PCT Field Guide for the Mgmt of Structure-Infesting Ants.

Exotic Ants Not Currently in TN, but in the Southern States Ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum 1-segmented waist slit-like opening no node gaster and legs light 1.3 to 1.5 mm long Difficult Ant (=White-footed ants) Technomyrmex difficilis 1-segmented waist slit-like opening no node gaster and legs dark 5-segmented gaster 2.5 to 3 mm long Rover ant Brachymyrmex patagonicus circular opening at end of gaster 1-segmented waist 9-segmented antenna, no club pale light-yellow to dark brown minute (1.6 mm) Rasberry or Caribbean crazy ant, Paratrechina pubens or near pubens circular opening at end of gaster 1-segmented waist body surface is smooth and glossy, covered with dense pubescence monomorphic, golden-brown to reddish-brown ant antennal scape about twice the width of the head 2.6 to 3.0 mm E&PP Info # 787 June 2008 Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, and resource development. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture and county governments cooperating. UT Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Ant Identification Resources The ultimate web site: Ants of the Southeastern U.S. cidaehome.html Ants of Tennessee - All species cidaepages/faunal.lists/Tennessee.Ants.htm Ants of Tennessee - Pest Species cidaepages/faunal.lists/Tennessee.Pests.htm Identification Keys cidaepages/Identification.Keys.htm Ant Web Discover Life Ants of North America The Ant Institute Video library E&PP Info # 788 June 2008 Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, and resource development. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture and county governments cooperating. UT Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment.

Ant Management Resources Hedges, S Pest Control Technology Field Guide for the Management of Structure-Infesting Ants 3 rd Edition. GIE Inc., Publishers. Richfield, OH. 325 pp. Oi, D. and K. Vail Chapter 11 Ants, pp In, Handbook of Pest Control, The Behavior, Life History and Control of Household Pests by Arnold Mallis, 10 th ed., Stoy Hedges [ed. Dir.], GIE Media, Inc. Richfield, OH. pp Vail, K. M PB1629 Managing Structure-Invading Ants. UT Extension pdf pdf Suiter, D Biology and Management of Carpenter Ants _3.PDF _3.PDF Fire Ant eXtension web site. Pest Control Technology Magazine. / / Pest Management Professional. Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences, and resource development. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture and county governments cooperating. UT Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. E&PP Info # 789 June 2008