What Is a Citronella Ant?

Citronella ants leave piles of dirt around their mounds.

Citronella ants are a common ant species as well as common home invaders. These ants live in colonies with the aphids they tend. Citronella ants come as worker ants, winged swarmers and queens. Large citronella ants are known by their scientific name as Acanthomyops interjectus and small ones are Acanthomyops claviger.

Identification

Citronella worker ants are about 1/4 of an inch long. The other males and females are winged and can reach over 1/2 of an inch long. The workers are a golden yellow color. The winged females are also golden yellow, but the winged males are black. The citronella ants have segmented bodies and antennae coming off the top of their heads. When disturbed or killed the ants give off a distinct citrus scent.

Colonies

There is much still unknown of the inner workings of citronella ant colonies. Citronella ants make their colonies in fallow fields, open woods, under logs, gardens, lawns and around house foundations. Within them they are known to tend aphids in the same way humans tend cows. The citronella ants do this because aphids excrete honeydew, the primary sustenance of the citronella ants.

Behavior

Citronella worker ants are not typically seen outside of the colony. Their main activity is digging within the colony to expand the nest and disposing of displaced dirt. When there is need for citronella ants to leave the colony, it is more frequently the winged males and females. These winged citronella ants can frequently find their way into homes through cracks in the foundation. Winged citronella ants have been known to swarm homes in mid to late summer. This swarming is frequently caused by the citronella ants looking for places to make new colonies. Citronella ants cannot reproduce outside and will die in a short time.

Extermination

Extermination of citronella ants is similar to the extermination of any common ants. You can call a pest service and have them take care of the infestation. A pest control professional will be able to find the citronella ant nest and exterminate it quickly and effectively. To save money, you can exterminate citronella ants in a do-it-yourself fashion with boric acid. First track the source of the ants' entry into your home by following a winged swarmer or finding displaced dirt from the foundation. The colony will often be in the basement of your home or under a log somewhere near your home. Pour some boric acid in and around the mound or opening. The do-it-yourself method is just as effective as a professional exterminator.

Miscellaneous

Citronella ants are frequently thought to be termites. The two can be distinguished by their waist: the citronella ant has a pinched waist while a termite has a straight one. Citronella ants may look scary but are not in fact harmful and are only considered nuisance pests. Citronella ants are nocturnal and are usually not seen when entering a house through a foundation crack because they work at night. Citronella ants are also known as larger yellow ants.

References

• Penn State: Citronella Ants
• Ask The Exterminator: Citronella Ants
• Terminix: Citronella Ants
• First Class Pest: Citronella Ant
• Interstate Termite: Citronella Ant