CONTROL OF HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 3I 



The little black ant* is about ^ of an inch long and though nor- 

 mally occurring under stones in yards, also invades the house 

 in considerable numbers. 



The pavement ant- is about | of an inch long and is very common 

 along the Atlantic seaboard. 



The large, black ant^ is the giant among our household ants. 

 It may be half an inch or more in length, is normally a wood feeder 

 and has frequently been designated as the carpenter ant. This 

 large species occasionally invades buildings, particularly in the 

 country, lives in the timbers and makes systematic levys upon the 

 food supplies of both kitchen and pantry. Occasionally this 

 species may become very abundant in a dwelling. 



Control measures. A house badly infested by ants, particularly 

 if a rather old building, might well be thoroughly fumigated with 



Fig. 19 Red ant: a, female; h, worker^or neuter, enlarged. (After Riley).] '•■ ^1 



hydrocyanic acid gas, directions for which are given on page 42. 

 This method of treatment is especially good for the little red ant, 

 because its nests are usually in the walls of the building and 

 therefore inaccessible. 



Aside from the fumigation mentioned above, the next most 

 satisfactory method of controlling these pests is to search for their 

 nests and destroy them so far as possible. This can be accomplished 

 only by ascertaining the origin of the continuous stream of ants 

 and is frequently impossible. The little black ant and the 

 pavement ant are very likely to build nests outdoors under 

 stones. Should the nests be found they can be destroyed by 

 liberal applications of boiling water or spraying with kerosene. 



'M^o'n omorium minutum Mayr. 

 *T^e tramorium caespitum Linn . 

 'Camponotus hcrculeanus Linn. 



