| Appearance |
 Distinctive
heart-shaped abdomen when viewed from above. 1/8- to 1/4-inch; black, dark
brown, or red and
black. |
| Habitat |
|
Like
carpenter ants, acrobat ants prefer to nest in
moist or rotted wood. Colonies are most often found in tree holes, dead
limbs
and rotting areas in fences, decks and railings. Indoors, nests may be
located
where water damage has occurred, in decayed or damp wood or inside
insulation
wall panels and wall voids. When disturbed, acrobat worker ants run
with their
abdomens held high over their heads. |
| Diet |
|
Acrobat ants feed on a wide variety of foods, but the
workers are partial to the sweet "honeydew" produced by aphids,
scales and mealybugs. Most indoor acrobat ant problems
are the result of workers looking
for food.
|
| Control |
|
Finding and treating wood where their
colonies are
located is the key to successful acrobat ant
control. In cases where the nest is located far above the
ground in a tree
inaccessible to direct treatment, limiting the trails that lead to your
interior is critical. Seal cracks and crevices in your foundation and
walls,
repair water leaks, let moist wood dry out, and improve attic and crawl
space
ventilation. |
|
