Over 1300 described Ant species and subspecies are found in Australia. Ants are one of the most successful animal species on the planet. They survived most of the major mass extinction and are known to rule in different territories. Ants are social insects that typically live in underground colonies, made up of workers and a queen. They will eat practically any food in their way.
In this article, we’ll discuss most of the common to rarest ant genera.
Acrobat Ants/Crematogaster
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Also known as cocktail ants because of their habit of raising their abdomens when alarmed. They are known to prey on larger insects like wasps. Acrobat ants can be found either outdoors or indoors. In the outdoors, they are typically arboreal. They like moist and are often dark areas for their hideouts.
Ghost Ants/Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricus)
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They are recognised by their dark head and pale or translucent legs and abdomen. They are a tropical species, probably of African or Asian origin. Ants of this specie have sweet tooth, they are fond of feeding on honeydew or any other syrupy substance. That’s why they are mostly found in the kitchen. They also feed on dead and living insects.
Harvester Ants
This ant has given the name harvester because they like to collect and store seeds. They play an important role in the dynamics of plant communities by acting either as seed dispersal agents or as seed predators. Harvester ants also feed on small insects if available in their area.
Pharaoh Ant/Monomorium pharaonis
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This is an ant which is a small (2 mm) yellow or light brown, almost transparent ant notorious for being a major indoor nuisance pest. They got their name from the mistaken belief that they were one of the plagues of Egypt during the time of Pharaohs.
If your home is subject to ant infestation call your local pest professional today. Westen Allpest specializes in different areas of pest infested locations, we’re ready to analyze each corner of your home and help you deal with any pest on the way!