Overview

Ants that commonly invade homes, damage structures, inflict painful bites, or sting humans or their pets are considered pest ants. This illustrated identification guide highlights forty species of ants that pose difficulties in urban settings. Included are well-known invasive troublemakers such as the red imported fire ant and Argentine ant, as well as native species. After an introductory chapter on the evolution, biology, and ecology of pest ants, the book follows a taxonomic arrangement by subfamily. Each subfamily chapter includes separate illustrated keys to both the genera and species of that group to enable entomologists and pest control professionals to identify pest ants correctly. The species accounts cover biology, distribution, and methods for excluding and/or removing ants from human structures and landscapes. The authors focus on the ants' biology and nesting behavior, life cycles, and feeding preferences; an intimate understanding of these factors enables the implementation of the least toxic control methods available. A chapter on control principles and techniques encompasses chemical strategies, habitat and structural modifications, biological control, and integrated pest management methods. Urban Ants of North America and Europe also contains valuable information on the diagnosis and treatment of human reactions to ant stings and bites. This comprehensive reference work on these economically significant ants includes the scientific, English, French, Spanish, and German names for each species and a summary of invasive ant species in the United States and Europe.

Full Product Details

Author:   John H. Klotz ,  Laurel D. Hansen ,  Reiner Pospischil ,  Michael Rust
Publisher:   Cornell University Press
Imprint:   Comstock Publishing Associates
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.30cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.454kg
ISBN:  

9780801474736

ISBN 10:   0801474736
Pages:   216
Publication Date:   11 September 2008
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Awaiting stock  
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Reviews

The rise of ants to ecological dominance has been called one of the great epics in evolution. The same features associated with their ecological success, however, also make them destructive invaders and pests. In this extremely useful book, the authors provide us with a guide to the amazing feats of the ant world. They balance fascinating ant biology with practical advice for controlling the few 'bad apples' that trouble our urban lives. Ants will continue to share our cities, but with the easy-to-use identification keys and detailed descriptions of biology and habits, we have a chance to know them and learn their ways. -Brian Fisher, California Academy of Sciences

Author Information

John Klotz is Associate Extension Urban Entomology Specialist and Associate Entomologist at the University of California, Riverside. Laurel Hansen teaches biology, zoology, and pesticide education at Spokane Falls Community College and is an adjunct faculty member at Washington State University. Hansen and Klotz are coauthors of Carpenter Ants of the United States and Canada, also from Cornell. Reiner Pospischil trains pest-control operators and plans and supervises external tests of new pest-control products for Bayer CropScience, Environmental Science, in Monheim am Rhein, Germany. Michael Rust is Professor of Entomology at the University of California, Riverside.

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