Hogarth's Pest Control specializes in all types of industries, residential and commercial.
Allegheny mound ant is a species of ant native to the Atlantic area of North America. They are reddish-brown and reach 3-6 mm in length. As its name implies, these ant colonies build their nests above ground in open, undisturbed areas. Most commonly, they construct these mounds of out of coarse sand, dead twigs, and leaves. Unlike the anthills of pavement ants, these mounds can become quite large in size and may take several years to complete.
Allegheny mound ants are capable of killing trees if they cast any shade on their nest. They do this by stripping the lower bark of the trees and filling it with formic acid which they produce. Members of the formic acid-producing genus Formica are known for their citrus taste. This suffocates the tree and disables all sap production. Moreover, these mounds do pose as a physical problem for lawn care professional’s mowing equipment. Unlike most other ant species, Allegheny mound ants have multiple queens. The maturation from egg to adult takes two and a half to three months. They hunt a wide assortment of insects as a protein source and collect aphid honeydew as a source of sugars. Eradication is the only means necessary to prevent further tree death and possible injury to equipment.
It is imperative this eradication includes the killing of the queen or she will quickly replace workers lost. The use of a professional pest control specialist is a more effective way to ensure the problem is solved. If you have found an Allegheny mound anthill on your property, do not hesitate to give us a call.
