![]() ![]() The ant’s foraging behavior can do a lot to improve farmland. In fact, many farmers welcome them onto their land! Is It Important To Keep Them Under Control? Most of the majesty of the ant’s home is underground and out of view. Their nests look like a small bare patch of land surrounded by healthy vegetation. Quick Tip: Harvester ants are relatively inconspicuous compared to other species. They look like two rounded nodules, making them easy to spot. The ants also have a pair of spines separating the abdomen and the thorax. Two large mandibles flank both sides and give the ant the ability to chew through tough seeds without missing a beat. Instead of the rounded dome of the fire ant, this species has a square-shaped head. The most significant indicator that you’re dealing with a harvester ant is the shape of the head. But if you look closely, you’ll notice a couple of standout differences. These insects are often mistaken for garden-variety fire ants. Several subspecies exist, but most harvester ants are reddish-brown in color. They’re about a quarter of an inch to half an inch long. In terms of appearance, harvester ants are pretty simple. Some of the deepest harvester ant nests were nearly 20 feet below the soil’s surface! This makes getting rid of harvester ants challenging. They create massive colonies with deep chambers to store food. In otherwise healthy adults, pain from stings can last up to four hours, with residual swelling and pain afterward.As their name implies, these ants are skilled foragers. Truly Nolen recommends seeking professional medical treatment for children, the elderly and those with certain allergies. The venom can also contain allergenic proteins that can set off a potentially lethal immune response in certain victims. This chemical signaling explains why ants all appear to sting as a unified force. Like many venomous insects, the venom of the Maricopa harvester ant consists of amino acids, peptides, proteins and most notably, an alkaloid poison that sends out a pheromone alarm, chemically alerting other ants in the area. Although harvester ants don’t invade structures, their nests, often located near homes or in yards places them in the category of “urban pests.” Though not aggressive by nature, with the exception of the red harvester ant, the harvester ant can deliver an especially painful sting, if provoked. In addition to causing mayhem to the physical appearance of yards and commercial properties, Harvester ants attack when their nests are disturbed. ![]() These are often confused with fire ants, but the red harvester ant is not related to the fire ant and, in fact, their sting is more venomous. The red harvester ant native to the arid Southwest is particularly poisonous. Similar to fire ants, the harvester ant’s two-part bite and sting process begins with the harvester ant attaching to its victim with its mandibles, then proceeding to repeatedly sting and inject venom into the region by pivoting around the site. Unlike honeybees, harvester ants are capable of stinging multiple times. Some species wield stingers with reverse barbs that actually break off in the sting site, like honeybee stingers. Harvester ant stings can cause painful sores and possible allergic reactions in people and animals. ![]()
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