Quiz Answers: Pharaoh Ants

Here are the answers to yesterday's quiz on Pharaoh ants. The hope is that in learning more about these difficult pests, we can work together to control infestations and secure homes against invasion.

1. In the human world, polygynous means more than one wife. In the ant world, it indicates (b) colonies have more than one queen. Mature colonies of Pharaoh ants contain several queens, winged males, workers, eggs, larvae, prepupae and pupae. 

2. Pharaoh ants are usually very small (approximately 1/16 of an inch long), and yellow to light brown in color. One distinguishing characteristic is the (c) three-segmented club at the end of their antennae. 

3. Although Pharaoh ants can be found in apartments, hotels and grocery stores, they are often associated with (a) hospitals. They can be especially troubling in health care areas, as they infest small spaces are are very difficult to eradicate. Unfortunately, they are capable of mechanically transmitting diseases and contaminating sterile materials - making them an especial nuisance in the health care industry.

4. The best way to treat Pharaoh ants is to (c) bait only. For this reason, we recommend you (d) call a pest professional. A successful Pharaoh ant control program will involve intensive baiting using baits that contain insect growth regulators. Unlike the more common Argentine ants, spraying can be counterproductive with a Pharaoh ant infestation. Chemical sprays tend to induce colonies to spread and divide, making control much more difficult.

5. Part of the reason baiting is more successful is that the percentage of Pharaoh ants typically out foraging at any given time is around (a) 5%. That means the best shot we have at control is to use the foraging ants to take poison bait back to the nest.

6. In severe infestations of larger buildings, like warehouses and hospitals, it could take (c) up to a year before total elimination is achieved. 

7. A mature Pharaoh ant colony can house (d) up to 300,000 ants. That's a lot of ants. A single queen can produce many hundreds of workers in just a few months. And remember, the colonies of Pharaoh ants often house multiple queens. Unlike many other ants, they breed continuously throughout the year in heated buildings.

Now that you know more about these difficult pests, be aware of the ants around you and be sure to report any suspected infestations of Pharaoh ants before they take over!