Pest Control Houston TX – Leafcutter Ants …

Leafcutter Ants Defoliate Houston Plants

Continuing from Leafcutter Ants Part 1…

Leafcutter ants are unique because they feed on fungus within their nest which they cultivate from the vegetation that is cut and gathered from the larger worker ants.

Grass and leaf clippings are the preferred vegetation sources. Once the vegetation is brought back to their underground nest, the leafcutter ants inject the fragments with a fungal secretion (their saliva and feces) which then transforms the plant segments into a nutritious mushroom form.

A warning chemical will be secreted from the fungi if the leafcutter ant introduces a leaf that is toxic to the nest.

Because of their ability to tend to every need of the colony, Houston leafcutter ants are known to consume more vegetation than any other animal group. Their ability to change once poisonous plants into a nutritious meal has enabled Houston leafcutter ant colonies to thrive around homes and business mainly in North Harris county and Montgomery county, TX.

Pest control companies in Houston report that leafcutter ant colonies typically have more females than males, most of which are sterile. These pests work hard at creating their colonies and it is not uncommon to find a leafcutter ant colony reaching underground depths of over nineteen feet.

A mature colony of leafcutter ants can boast over eight million of these destructive ant pests so it’s easy to see why you should contact a Houston pest control expert for help in treating this troublesome pest.

Take a look at these Leafcutter videos from the Currie Lab Department of Bacteriology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. They show the amazing intelligence and perseverance of the fungus growing leafcutter ant.

This same type of ant intelligence is also exhibited in fire ants, little black ants, Pharaoh Ants, and Carpenter ants as well.

Whether you find ants to be fascinating or an annoying pest, Protex Pest Control,  Houston pest control experts, will be able to properly identify what type of ant has invaded your home or landscaping, and will be able to provide swift eradication.