Acrobat Ants: The Insect Pest That You Have Never Heard Of
18911813 – anthill
Are there any ants that are not considered pests? Ants are annoying creatures, as anyone who has ever attempted a picnic will agree with. However, the world is full of different ant species, and some are beneficial to the environment while also being considered pests. The little-known ant referred to as the acrobat ant is, unfortunately, among the most annoying ant pests to find within your home. These oddly named ants can be pests both inside and near your home.
The acrobat ant is so named because of the worker acrobat ants peculiar crawl. The worker ants will move about with their abdomens protruding above their body. When observing this strange crawling technique, it appears as though the workers are attempting a balancing act, similar to the acrobats that we are all familiar with. Although these ants can be distinguished from other ants by tiny spines protruding from the back end of their body, a magnifying glass is required to see these spines. Most of the time, acrobat ants are identified solely by their interesting crawling technique. Entomologists are unsure as to why these ants crawl the way they do, but they seem to resort to this abdominal-crawl when they are under threat.
Acrobat ants prefer to dwell near wood and in moisture-rich environments. This is why acrobat ant infestations are often found in various household environments surrounded by wood and where water leaks regularly. These troublesome ant pests are also sometimes found within foam insulated boards that they access by chewing through wood. This is normally made clear when sawdust is present near a colony. Like all ants, mature and reproductively capable ants are equipped with wings, and have been seen swarming near people’s homes. This swarming behavior, if it should occur near, or inside of your home. Is a sure sign of an infestation.
Do you experience inevitable ant infestations ever summer? Have you ever taken the time to identify the ants infesting your home?
