Garden black ants

Black ant - the most common type of our area. Other names are black lazy, lazius niger, lasius niger. Distributed throughout the world, are garden pests.

Appearance

If a person is asked to describe ants, he immediately gives a characteristic of this type:

• The body, divided into 3 segments, is well distinguished head, abdomen.
• On the head there are long antennae, the whole body is covered with villi.
• Three pairs of legs, allowing the insect to move quickly, to crawl to the greatest heights.
• Color - dark brown, black.

In the anthill are insects with different body lengths. The biggest - uterus. Fertile female reaches the size of 13 mm. The smallest working individuals are females incapable of fertilization. They grow to 4 mm. 1 mm more males, young females - 7 mm. Photos of black ants are presented below.

Black garden ants

Interesting!

At the time of the mating season, males and females grow wings. This is not a separate species. flying ants, but only a temporary transformation. Males die soon, uterus look for a comfortable place, burrow into the ground, lay eggs. Working individuals grow from them within a month, which start construction, arrangement of an anthill.

Dwelling

Black ants build several species of nests. In most cases - a cone-shaped form, formed from a mound of earth, covered with branches, needles, leaves. Anthill has many moves, cameras, warehouses, is divided into 2 parts. In the upper floors, large black ants spend most of their time. They live before the onset of cold weather. In the bottom, deep underground, winter.

The second housing option is old wood, stumps.Ants lazius niger nibble wood, mix it with saliva. Used as a building material. In the tree form numerous passages, exits, cameras. Long underground tunnels and mines depart from them.

You can see the nest right in the soil, with holes, loosened soil without a characteristic mound. Also ants lasius niger lodge under stones, branches. Insects settle in the fields, gardens, but most of all love orchards. Because of this, they are also called garden black ants.

Breeding

Mass departure from the nest of young female males occurs in June. Fertilization is carried out in the air, lasts about a week. Each female tries to establish her nest, does not return to her previous place of residence. If she fails to do this, she can again go to the former anthill.

Uterus black ants live about 28 years. Lays eggs every week. They are picked up by working ants performing duties inside an anthill. Then take care of them themselves. Provide optimal conditions, overturn. Move from camera to camera if necessary.

Interesting!

After 2 weeks of eggs, the larvae appear in the form of white worms.They are not able to move, eat independently, are deprived of sight. The further it depends on how the adults feed the larvae. life of ants. Within a month, the larvae pupate, emerge from the cocoon with full-fledged young black ants. Some become builders, others as nannies and midwives, others as security guards, soldiers, etc. The ant family has more than 15 professions.

Nutrition

Large black ants in the garden find food for themselves, their larvae. Adults feed on plant juices, a sweet secret that aphid secretes. For food ants spread aphids throughout the garden, providing her the most succulent trees in the country. Honey dew is collected behind it.

Ant habitat

Interesting!

Aphyl black ants are kept in their housing in a special chamber. Provide it with good nutrition, tickle the antennae, get a sweet delicacy.

Larvae are more voracious. In need of protein food. Adult individuals bring them insects, worms, slugs. Such feeding habits make black garden ants useful and harmful. Insects will destroy small pests and spread the aphids themselves, causing significant damage to crops.

Behavior

Garden black ant - non-aggressive creature, but endowed with a sting with poison.Use their weapons during the hunt, when attacking enemies, approaching danger. Insects bite quite hard, leaving an inflamed red mark. For the allergic person ant bite can be a serious health problem.

Interesting!

There are always several adults on guard for order. In case of danger, they give a signal to the rest, they pounce on the enemy en masse. In an instant, a whole colony of insects appears on the foot of a person who has stepped next to an anthill.

Biting an insect just will not. It will crawl freely on the arm, leg, if it is not in danger. The slightest pressure on the body leads to a defensive reaction.

On a note!

In nature, there is a huge amount giant black antsable to bite domestic animals to death, a person inflict significant damage to health. This type of ant lives in tropical countries. When you find insects, people leave the house, taking the whole household with them.

Methods of struggle

Fighting ants

A garden ant is not dangerous until it begins to spread aphids.If there is no aphid on the garden plot, there will be no big anthills on the territory of the summer cottage.

Methods of struggle include the use of popular, professional means. The choice of methods depends on individual preferences, the number of insects in the area, the location of the anthill, the number of individuals.

• Aphids sprayed trees soda solution. So that the soda stays on the leaves longer, soap and linseed oil are added to the water. Spray need in the warm season every week.
• An anthill is poured with a bucket of boiled water, a solution boric acid. Practice the method of ignition, if the nest rises above the ground. Doused with flammable liquid, often kerosene, set on fire. It is better to do this in the evening when all the working ants return home.
• It is possible to drive out all inhabitants from the anthill with the head of a herring, placing it on top of the building.
• Mint, lemon balm and calendula bushes are planted in the garden. The smell of these plants can not tolerate black garden ants.
• One of the most effective remedies for ants, aphids is garlic. They rub the trunks of trees, tied with garlic arrows.
• Trees protect trapping belts from polyethylene.They are applied a sticky substance - resin, tar, grease. Or buy a special garden glue from the ants.

They are afraid of drugs insects in the form of a gel. It contains a broad-spectrum insecticide, flavors, flavorings. Insects eat themselves, drag poison into the nest, feed the larvae, the uterus. Mass death occurs within 14 days. Most common means Great Warrior.