A SURVEY OF THE URBAN PEST ANTS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE) OF PENINSULAR FLORIDA

A one year survey was conducted with structural pest control employees of Florida to determine the kinds of ants and types of ant problems c onfronted in both commercial and household pest control. Eight species of ants were identified as key pests in Florida. Of these, the most c ommon were Solenopsis invicta Buren 14%, Tapinoma melanocephalum (F.) - 14%, Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille) - 14%, Camponotus abdomina lis floridanus (Buckley) - 12%, Monomorium pharaonis (L.) - 11%, Campo notus tortuganus Emery - 8%, Pheidole megacephala (F.) 7% and Paratrec hina bourbonica (Forel) - 4%. More than twenty-five other species of a nts which were occasional invaders were also collected in the survey. Customer complaints, nest locations, and treatment strategies for pest ants are also described.