SC General and Structural Pest Control 7A – Updated 2024/2025 What is the series of events from egg to adult called? - Lifecycle What is metamorphosis? - The change that must take place in before the young insect matures into an adult is called Meta

SC General and Structural Pest Control 7A – Updated 2024/2025 What is the series of events from egg to adult called? - Lifecycle What is metamorphosis? - The change that must take place in before the young insect matures into an adult is called Metamorphosis What Phylum do all insect-related animals belong to? - All insect-related animals such as mites, ticks, and spiders belong to a phulum called the Arthropoda What are Arachnids? - Spiders, Mites, scorpions, and ticks. Most arthropod pests are insects or arachnids. - four pairs of legs - two body segments (abdomen and cephalothorax) Name the four control strategies used to attempt the control of arthropods or rodents. - 1. Resource Management/Environment Manipulation 2. Prevention/Mechanical Barriers 3. Biological Control 4. Chemical Control Resource Management/Environment Manipulation - Management of food, water, and shelter availability, and habitat modification to minimize or eliminate pest is usually one of the most effective methods for controlling pests. Prevention/Mechanical Barriers - Barriers such as screens, netting, and protective clothing all are mechanical means to protect people from biting and nuisance insects. Biological Control - The use of predators, parasites, and pathogens (insect diseases) can be effective in controlling some pest species, if the beneficial organisms can establish themselves or if a population can be maintained. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - This concept uses a combination of biological, environmental and chemical control methods IPM- How? - Controlling pests by stressing non-chemical methods is the goal of pest management programs IPM- Why? - An IPM program seeks to maintain to maintain pest populations below the level at which they cause problems. IPM - It is an alternative and improved approach to traditional pest management. I uses information on the life cycles of pests and their interactions with the environment, in combination with available pest control methods, to manage pests by the most economical means with the least possible damage to people, property, and the environment. IPM- Program - Under an IPM program, spraying is used ONLY when ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY What is the difference between winged ants and termite swarmers? - Thee key features can quickly identify winged ants: 1. A pinched waist 2. Elbowed antennae 3. Wings of different lengths Which ant species has a heart-shaped abdomen? - Acrobat Ant Where do odorous house ants get their name? - The odor they give off when they are crushed, smells like rotten coconut What type of control is best for red imported fire ants? - Broadcast baiting followed by mound drenching What is "budding"? - When pharaoh ants separate into multiple colonies due to liquid insecticide treatment Order - Group of similar families Complete Metamorphosis - Insect development consisting of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult Castes - - ants in a colony are grouped into castes based off of the tasks they perform. - Castes consist of workers, queens and alates. Ant workers - - Sterile females, and they make up the largest cast in the ant colony - The workers protect the nest against invaders, gather food, serve the queen, and care for the young ants Ants (food) - - Collected by foraging workers is passed mouth to mouth among themselves and to other workers, larvae, and the queen. - This process is the only means by which the queen and larvae of the ant colony can obtain food - This transfer of food is an important element in the design and effectiveness of ant baits Alates - Winged adult fertile males and females that leave existing colonies to establish new ones Male ants - - Found in colonies only during swarmer formation - Sole purpose: mating, and most die soon afterwards. Control of Ants - - Usually multi-step process including - Proper Identification - Location of all nests - Baiting - Perimeter barrier treatment - Non-chemical methods Five Types of Ants in South Carolina that cause most problems - 1. Red Imported Fire Ants 2. Argentine Ants 3. Odorous House Ants 4. Pharaoh Ants 5. Acrobat Ants Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) - - Redish-Brown - 1/16 to 1/4 of an inch - Extremely Aggressive - Workers are different sizes (Polymorphic) - Prefers open areas, yards, school playgrounds, athletic fields, campgrounds, and golf courses - Sometimes nest in gas and water meter boxes, air conditioners, and other electrical equipment - Follow pipes into structures Red Imported Fire Ant Control - -Non-chemical control- lawn cut short - Chemical control is best option - Best achieved with two step process: 1. Broadcast a bait 2. Treat individual mounds with an approved mound drench, granule, aerosol, or dust insecticide (individual mounds should be treated no sooner than 7 days after baits are applied Argentine Ants - - Do not sting - 1/16 of an inch, they are tiny - light brown to dark brown - Legs lighter in color - Multiple Queen colonies, house a few hundred to a few thousand workers - Usually mate in the nest, so winged swarmers are rare - Indoors, usually located in moist places or near food - Outside, usually under rocks, along sidewalks, under plants, they like to climb bushes and trees - Prefer food like syrup and sugar Argentine Ant Control - Non-Chemical - Keep cracks and crevices caulked, general sanitation, keep food containers tightly sealed Chemical-