Florida Harvest Ants

The sting of a Florida harvester ant can be extremely painful.  Although the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius (Latreille), occurs throughout most of Florida it is limited by its ecological requirements. Where it does occur, the ant nest is readily visible as a large cleared area with a number of slow moving individuals on the surface near the nest. Harvester ants in the genus Pogonomyrmex received this name due to their practice of gathering seeds for food. While there are 22 species of harvester ants found in the United States, only the Florida harvester ant occurs east of the Mississippi River (Smith and Whitman 1992)

The Florida harvester ant nests exclusively or by preference in sand. It requires open areas in which to build its nest and tends to nest in open woodlands or grassy areas (Haack and Granovsky 1990). Xeric hammocks are preferred. Many nests are found on lawns, around gardens, and in fire lanes (Van Pelt 1958). The mound is very slight and flattened with single or multiple entrances in the center and is from 30 to 60 cm in diameter. Unlike most other harvester ant species (Haack and Granovsky 1990), Florida harvester ant workers make no effort to clear vegetation from around the mound (Wheeler 1910). However, the mound is often covered with small pebbles or charcoal from burned areas (Smith and Whitman 1992).

The Florida harvester ant moves its nest periodically (an average of once every 234 days) in response to changes in microclimate resulting from shading due to overhanging vegetation. Pogonomyrmex workers of one colony will readily fight members of another colony of the same or different ant species and continued strife of this kind also results in colony movement (Smith and Whitman 1992).

The Florida harvester ant is not of economic importance to growers and homeowners, is not aggressive and almost has to be forced to sting someone. However, the sting is among the more painful of those received from ants and the pain lasts longer than usual for ant stings due to the poison injected (Haack and Granovsky 1990). Some swelling may also occur as the reaction to their stings spread along the lymph channels (Ebeling 1978).

Generally, management of the Florida harvester ant isn't necessary unless the ant is located where small children may be playing or in other similar circumstances. An adult may easily avoid the ant, thus avoiding the extremely painful sting. The Florida harvester ant uses odor trials as well as sun orientation to return to food sources (Ebeling 1978) so placing baits on these trails may help control a colony. Mounds should be treated during the hottest part of the day, as the ants are least active at this time, by injecting a labeled insecticidal dust into the entrance (Smith and Whitman 1992). Insect growth regulators are also recommended, but take longer to destroy the colony. For more information on the Florida harvester ant, please visit http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/harvester_ant.htm.

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