White Footed Ants

They don’t bite; they don’t sting; but they sure get into everything. The white footed ant is the most notorious recent invader of Florida. Originally a native of Southern Japan and its neighboring islands, this ant specie has been on the move north and west from southeast Florida. Identified by entomologist Mark Derup in 1991, the white foots are believed to have settled in the Homestead, Florida area in the mid 1980’s.

White footed ants invading a wall switch by Fred J. Santana, Entomologist.
Originally thought to be a minor problem, the white footed ant reached pest alert status in 1998. They have now been confirmed to have spread and are thriving in at least nine Florida counties.

The white footed ants obvious success in adapting and colonizing in new locations is cause for great concern throughout Florida. There are currently several quarantines in effect at and around agricultural areas. Understanding the impact on Florida’s agricultural communities as well as homes and industries is as unique as this invasive ant itself.

White footed ant biology:

1. White footed ant Colonies grow quickly and may exceed over two million inhabitants in each colony.

2. It is believed that in some instances, up to 50 % of the colony members may be female reproductives.

3. They create swarmers for mating flights, which provide them with much greater range for initiating new colonies. They also bud; a process by which workers and female reproductives separate from the main colony and establish new ones.

4. Unlike most ant species, the foraging workers do not regurgitate the food they have eaten to provide to the nursery and non foraging ants in the nest. Instead they digest the food and produce a trophic egg. It is an unique unfertilized egg which provides all the nourishment the white-footed ants require. The foraging workers, while providing the close to perfect food source to the colony, also, filter out much of the pesticides that may have been present in the original food.

5. White footed ants are strongly attracted to sweets, although they will eat dead insects and have been observed attacking termites, worms and other small prey. For the most part, they are generally found foraging in great numbers where carbohydrate-producing plants, crops and other organisms are. They will protect and farm aphids, mealybugs and scale for the purpose of harvesting their honeydew. The end result leads to crop and plant damage.

6. The white footed ant structural invasion is not an experience you want to have. You have to truly see it to believe it. The white footed ant is without a doubt the most invasive ant in Florida, today. Once they are inside, they are close to impossible to eradicate. They invade wall voids, outlets, appliances, pantries and just about every nook and cranny you can imagine.

7. White footed ants are dark brown to brownish black and appear to be little black ants from a distance. Their large numbers foraging make their presence known quickly. They do not actually have white feet; their tibia and tarsi are light yellow.

White Footed Ant Control

1. If this ant has made it into your home or facility, you should contact a qualified professional pest control service, or be prepared to make a disciplined "do-it-yourself" effort.

2. Do not spray insecticides in your environment.

3. The best way to stop this invader is outside of your home:

4. Keep bushes and trees trimmed back from structures.

5. Keep moisture sources around the exterior to a minimum.

6. Use a systemic pesticide on the carbohydrate producing plants and shrubs (take their food source away).

7. Place Ant Pro ant bait stations where the ants are foraging.

8. In severe infestations, steps 3 and 4 can be supplemented with the application of a band one foot up and one foot out around the structure of non repellent residual, such as Termidor .

9. At least every second week, inspect for new areas where they may be foraging and repeat recommendations 3 and 4, as needed.