Tapinoma melanocephalum Fabr. (Formicidae, Dolichoderinae) in buildings - Observations on its biology and control

This tropical ant was found 1982 in Halle-Neustadt (kindergarden), 1985 in Restock (bakery), 1994 in Hamburg (dwelling-house), 1996 in Salzgitter-Lich tenberg (dwelling-house) and since 1994 also observed and controlled in Ber lin (dwelling-houses). Important exterior characteristics are: size 1.3-1.5 mm (worker), 2.3-2.5 m m (female and male), petiolus its not scale-like, gaster with 4 from dorsal visible segments. Colour: caput blackbrown to black; gaster is cream to br ownyellow (worker), brownish (female), blackbrown to black (male), coloured . Their behaviour distinguished them from Monomorium pharaonis they run ver y quickly and restlessly, "ant roads" are not longer than 6-8 hours existen t. Preferred food: lying about food, dead flies and cockroaches, cake, milk, s weets. This species was fed in laboratory with mixture from yolkpowder, bis kuitmeal and honey, dead insects. The inquiry of attack-locality results with pig-lever or saturated sugar-so lution. Baits-boxes were placed on the attack-locality directly. It was dis tinctly, that Maxforce-Bait (Hydramethylnon) was visited middling. Baits wi th a mixture of peanut-fat and boric or of yolkpowder, honey and boric were attractive about a longer time and effective in the control. T. melanocephalum was introduced likely with tropical flowers and fruits, s weets or baking from subtropical-tropical region in dwelling houses.