A SURVEY OF THE URBAN PEST ANTS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE) OF PENINSULAR FLORIDA

A one year survey was conducted with structural pest control employees of Florida to determine the kinds of ants and types of ant problems confronted in both commercial and household pest control. Eight species of ants were identified as key pests in Florida. Of these, the most common were Solenopsis invicta Buren 14%, Tapinoma melanocephalum (F.) - 14%, Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) - 14%, Camponotus abdominalis floridanus (Buckley) - 12%, Monomorium pharaonis (L.) - 11%, Camponotus tortuganus Emery - 8%, Pheidole megacephala (F.) 7% and Paratrechina bourbonica (Forel) - 4%. More than twenty-five other species of ants which were occasional invaders were also collected in the survey. Customer complaints, nest locations, and treatment strategies for pest ants are also described.