Large Yellow Ant – Citronella Ant
Biology of the Large Yellow Ant
Large yellow ants average approximately ¼ of an inch long. As their name suggests, they are a yellow color. Large yellow ants are also called citronella ants: for the lemony scent they produce when crushed. Citronella ants are not often seen outside their nests during the day as they primarily forage at night. You may encounter them when they swarm (mate), during which the reproductive queens and drones will establish new nests. Large yellow ants will in most cases not harm any structure, preferring decayed wood and other insects for food. Large Yellow AntHabitat and range of Large Yellow Ant
The large yellow ant ranges throughout the western United States. This ant can often be found nesting in soil under rocks and stumps or logs. They are usually found around houses under a concrete slab where their nest is indicated by a large buildup or dirt in the expansion cracks of the cement. Large Yellow Ants Tending to an Egg PilePrevention of Large Yellow Ants
Large Yellow Ant colonies can be dissuaded from your property by cleaning the yard of fallen debris, such as leaves, and keeping areas tidy. As this ant takes a liking to stumps, logs and stones, it´s best to keep any of these items several feet from the house to discourage the ant from going into your house. If there is nothing for the ant to find in your house they are even less likely to enter and look for food. So keep your food items in secure plastic containers.Professional Control of Large Yellow Ants
Large Yellow Ants could be incredibly difficult to treat due to their nests generally being below paving slabs. It had once been recommended to find a pest control technician trained in handling termites, as it was often necessary to drill through the paving slab. Once the mound was exposed you could drench the mound with an insecticide. When Citronella ants swarm, a vacuum may be utilized to clean up these ants from the inside of a house. Bait based insecticide while affective for a wide range of ants will not work for this species of ant, and is not a viable control. It is our opinion that new non-repellent baits are a viable option that would eliminate the need to drill through slab, as the delayed kill factor allows the ants to infect other ants in the nest before death. For more information on ants and ant species, visit our page on Ant Control Call today to schedule service or for more information at 800-986-1006Large Yellow Ant (Citronella Ant) References
University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Pest Information on the Large Yellow Ant West Virginia Extention Pest Information on the Large Yellow Ant Pest Management Professional, May 2010 Volume 79 no.5Locations
City Services for Pest Control in Los Angeles
Agoura Hills | Northridge | |
Alhambra | Pacific Palisades | |
Arcadia | Palos Verdes Estates | |
Beverly Hills | Pasadena | |
Burbank | Pomona | |
Calabasas | Rancho Palos Verdes | |
Cerritos | Redondo Beach | |
City of Industry | Reseda | |
City of Los Angeles | Rolling Hills Estates | |
Claremont | San Marino | |
Culver City | Santa Fe Springs | |
Cypress | Santa Monica | |
Diamond Bar | Sherman Oaks | |
El Monte | Sylmar | |
El Segundo | Tarzana | |
Encino | Temple City | |
Glendale | Toluca Lake | |
Granada Hills | Torrance | |
Hacienda Heights | Venice | |
Hidden Hills | Walnut | |
Hollywood | West Covina | |
La Verne | West Hollywood | |
Long Beach | West Los Angeles | |
Malibu | Westlake Village | |
Manhattan Beach | Whittier | |
Marina Del Rey | Woodland Hills | |
North Hollywood | ||
City Services for Pest Control in Orange County
Aliso Viejo | Laguna Hills | |
Anaheim | Laguna Niguel | |
Brea | Lake Forest | |
Buena Park | Los Alamitos | |
Capistrano Beach | Mission Viejo | |
City of Orange | Newport Beach | |
Corona Del Mar | Orange | |
Costa Mesa | Rancho Santa Margarita | |
Dana Point | Rossmoor | |
Fountain Valley | San Clemente | |
Fullerton | San Juan Capistrano | |
Garden Grove | Santa Ana | |
Huntington Beach | Tustin | |
Irvine | Villa Park | |
La Habra | Westminster | |
Laguna Beach | Yorba Linda | |
City Services for Pest Control in San Diego
4S Ranch | Rancho Penasquitos | |
Poway | Scripps Ranch | |
Rancho Bernardo | ||
Descanso | Ramona | |
Julian | Santa Ysabel | |
Pine Valley | ||
Bonsall | Hidden Meadows | |
Escondido | Pauma Valley | |
Fallbrook | Valley Center | |
Carlsbad | Pacific Beach | |
Coronado | Point Loma | |
La Costa | San Ysidro | |
Mira Mesa | The City of San Diego | |
Otay Mesa | ||
Cardiff by the Sea | Oceanside | |
Carmel Valley | Rancho Santa Fe | |
Del Mar | San Marcos | |
Encinitas | Solana Beach | |
La Jolla | Vista | |
Alpine | Imperial Beach | |
Bonita | Jamul | |
Chula Vista | La Mesa | |
East Lake Chula Vista | Lakeside | |
El Cajon | Santee | |