Acrobat Ant

Elimination, Biology, Habits of Acrobat Ants

• Biology and Habits
• Acrobat Identification
• Image
• Elimination of Acrobat Ants

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Biology
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Acrobat ants get their name from their unique habit of sometimes running while holding their abdomen above their thorax when disturbed.  This gives them the appearance of an acrobat who walks on his or her hands.
These ants do not build large, above ground mounds.  Instead, you are more likely to find them nesting in dead tree limbs, hollow logs, fallen trees, old tree stumps or even the hollow cavity of a tree.  Around a home or business, acrobat ant colonies can be found in any organic litter or mulch and beneath stacks of firewood, under stepping stones, landscape timbers, bird baths, etc.  They are often found in shrubs or ornamentals, feeding on insects and the honeydew produced by aphids.  All of these areas must be taken into consideration when eliminating acrobat ant infestations.
Worker ants will enter a home or other structure by crawling along electrical and phone lines.  They also access homes from shrubs or trees which are too close or touching the building or by simply crawling up the outside walls to enter around windows, doors, cracks, crevices or through vents.  It would be very difficult (if not impossible) to eliminate all access points.                         Acrobat Ant Control 

Besides feeding on aphid "honeydew" and dead insects, these ants are fond of sweets and proteins found in any home.

Acrobat Identification
Image of Acrobat Ant
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Key characteristics of acrobat ants:

• The color of the worker ant can vary from light brown or dark brown.
• When viewed from above, this ant's abdomen is shaped like a heart.
• When viewed from the side, the pedicel attaches to the upper part of the abdomen.  In most ant species, the pedicel is attached on the lower part of the abdomen.
• Each antenna has 12 segments and a 3 segmented club.
• All workers are of the same size.
• Once indoors, they will feed on a variety of sweets and proteins but will rarely take ant baits.

Acrobat Ant Image
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Acrobat Ant Elimination
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Ridding your home of Acrobat ants involves many of the procedures (both chemical and non-chemical) used in eliminating Odorous House Ants, Crazy Ants and Carpenter Ants.  Baiting for Acrobat ants has limited results.
[If you can only use baits (due to circumstances in your home which prohibit the use of dusts and sprays), Maxforce products will work best.  Maxforce Granules should be used outdoors, Maxforce FC Ant Bait Stations should be used where ants are seen foraging indoors.  For severe indoor infestations, Maxforce FG should be placed in wall voids, attics, etc.; use of a Crusader Duster will make application of these smaller particles to cracks and crevices easier.]

1. Spray Treatment:  For best results, make a thorough inspection indoors and outdoors to locate any nests, trails, entry points, hiding places, etc.  All of these areas need to be treated with Cypermethrin to kill existing ants and prevent newer ant colonies from entering the structure.  Look for and spray any possible entry point or hiding place.  Our Chapin sprayer has an adjustable tip for spraying entry points and baseboards or for slowly drenching ant mounds.  Areas to be sprayed include any tiny opening where the pests might enter, around or beneath all stepping stones and landscape timbers, the soil around the home, storage sheds, firewood.  Make sure that all mulched areas are thoroughly treated.  Any ornamental shrubs located close to the structure should be treated to eliminate any possible aphids or other insects.  If you have shrubs or other vegetation which needs to be treated for aphids, use Dragnet instead of Cypermethrin.  Acrobat ants will feed on insects and are fond of the honeydew produced by aphids.

2. Dust Treatment:   If you have determined that the ants have established colonies in your walls, it may be necessary to apply Delta Dust to any void where you suspect ant (or other insect activity.)   Use a Crusader Duster for applying Delta Dust to wall voids, cracks and crevices.  For smaller infestations, insecticide dust might not be needed.

In summary, all existing ant trails and nests of the acrobat ant must be located and eliminated.  Without thorough inspection (both indoors and out) and necessary treatment, these pests will continue to "pop up" and continue to be a pest.

Professional Pest Control Products
6920 Pine Forest Rd.
Pensacola, FL  32526
850-944-4567

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