Behavior
- Feed on living insects, dead animals,
and honeydew from honeydew-producing insects
- In homes, forage on sweet foods, proteins, and fats
- Extremely aggressive; if disturbed, will swarm out of nests
and attack in large numbers; can inflict a very painful sting
- Travel in distinct trails along foundations, sidewalks, patios,
up sides of buildings, along baseboards, and under edges of carpets
- Colonies may split and move to new locations
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Nest
type and size
- Nest in mounds with multiple openings
in soil or lawns, usually in open sunny areas near a water source
- If undisturbed, mounds may reach up to 18 inches high and 24
inches wide; they become dome-shaped after 2-3 years
- Nests sometimes found in buildings, wall voids, crawl spaces,
or under carpets
- Large colonies of up to 500,000 workers
with multiple queens
Quick
Management Tips |
