2011. The species is considered to be one of the worst 100 invasive species in the world according to the IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG). 2013. 1999. BIOLOGY: Pheidole megacephala is an omnivorous ant, preying on other insects as well as feeding on any human or animal food of plant or animal origin. I'm surprised they managed to hold on though, but now apparently the Argentine ants aren't sending as many ants as they did just a couple days ago. & Taylor, R.W. http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/bigheaded_ant.htm, 3Northern Territory Government. Parallel ridge barrier to control ant damage to orifices of drip irrigation tubes. The minor workers of P. megacephala are best separated from the other two PIAkey Pheidole species by the swollen appearance of the postpetiole and the shorter antennal scapes. Indoors they are often found feeding on meat, pet food, oily foods such as peanut butter, and grease on stoves, counters, walls, or dish cloths3. The BHA has been a pest in southern Florida for many years, and according to reports by pest control operators, has become the most pervasive nuisance as it has replaced other ants such as the red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, and the white-fo… Notice that only the minor workers are present in this video. The pest could directly affect threatened or endangered species. What you do is get fresh coffee grounds and put them in a large area in a big circle around the Fire ant mound, coffee grounds deters ants (and other insects) so it should work on keeping the Pheidole away. It is possible that the drier climate of California may be more favorable for this shelter-building behavior. 1953b: 75 (l.). Predation on Liothrips urichi Karny (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae): A case of biotic interference. Combination in Pheidole: Roger, 1863b: 30. In a baiting study, fish and lepidopteran larvae were preferred to sucrose or honey solutions ( … I). (1995) A new general catalogue of the ants of the world. 2001. – High (3) causes 3 or more of these impacts. Featured creatures: big headed ant. Evaluate the host range of the pest. While the ants are tending honeydew producers they consume predatory insects such as lady bugs and parasitic wasps including Tamarixia radiata9. Journal of Economic Entomology 89(5): 1124-1129. http://esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/search/article?option1=tka&value1=Effects+of+Pheidole+megacephala+%28+Hymenoptera%3a+Formicidae+%29+on+survival+and+dispersal+of+Dysmicoccus+neobrevipes&operator9=AND&option9=publications&value9=esa&sortDescending=true&sortField=default&pageSize=10&index=1, 12Hoffmann, Benjamin D., Alan N. Andersen, and Greg J.E. (for an example of an unswollen postpetiole, see P. fervens). Pest incursions that have been eradicated, are under eradication, or have been delimited with no further detections should not be included. If the specimen under investigation does not match any of the PIAkey Pheidole, explore images from Antweb and taxonomic literature pertaining to Pacific ants. The big-headed ant (Pheidole megacephala) is considered one of the world's worst invasive ant species. Pheidole megacephala. The BHA has been a pest in southern Florida for many years, and according to reports by pest control operators, it is becoming an even more pervasive nuisance as it displaces other ants, such as the red imported fire ant (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, and the white-f… From there it has spread to parts of Asia, Oceania, Central America, South America, Europe, Hawaii, and the Caribbean1. 2) Known Pest Host Range: Pheidole megacephala is omnivorous and receives a High (3) in this category. Score: – Low (1) causes none of the above to occur. (1967) The ants of Polynesia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Wilson, E.O. Pheidole is the most diverse ant genus in the world, and many native and widespread species occur in the Pacific that are not included in PIAkey. On April 18, 2014, Dr. Rosser Garrison identified samples of ants collected at a residence in Costa Mesa, CA as Pheidole megacephala, bigheaded ant. – High (3) causes two or more of the above to occur. Each queen lays up to 290 eggs per month. Environmental Entomology 30(6): 1028-1035. http://esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/search/article?option1=tka&value1=Relationship+between+community+structure&operator9=AND&option9=publications&value9=esa&sortDescending=true&sortField=default&pageSize=10&index=4, 8Cornelius, Mary L. and J.Kenneth Grace. If I were handed specimens and told they … Pheidole megacephala minor workers on peanut butter bait (Suva, Fiji). 1980. House. 4) Economic Impact: Pheidole megacephala is likely to injure agriculturally important animals when it tends honeydew producing insects in agricultural systems. | Photographer: Utah State University, Jewel distaff thistle (photo by Steve Hurst, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database), Canadian wood-nettle (Laportea canadensis) | By Raffi Kojian (http://Gardenology.org) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons, myrtle spurge | Euphorbia myrsinites L | Photographer: Steve Dewey, orange hawkweed | Hieracium aurantiacum L. | Photographer: Becca MacDonald, ragweed parthenium | Parthenium hysterophorus L. | Photographer: Charles T. Bryson, Senegal Tea Plant | Photographer: Robert Vidéki, Phoradendron serotinum ©2011 Jorg & Mimi Fleige, Slender Russian Thistle (Salsola collina) Pallas, Post Entry Distribution and Survey Information, http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/ants/bigheaded_ant.htm, http://www.lrm.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/11268/BigHAnt_Fact-Sheet.pdf, http://esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/search/article?option1=tka&value1=Interference+of+Pheidole+megacephala&operator9=AND&option9=publications&value9=esa&sortDescending=true&sortField=default&pageSize=10&index=1, http://esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/search/article?option1=tka&value1=Parallel+ridge+barrier+to+control&operator9=AND&option9=publications&value9=esa&sortDescending=true&sortField=default&pageSize=10&index=1, http://esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/search/article?option1=tka&value1=Predation+on+Liothrips+urichi&operator9=AND&option9=publications&value9=esa&sortDescending=true&sortField=default&pageSize=10&index=1, http://esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/search/article?option1=tka&value1=Relationship+between+community+structure&operator9=AND&option9=publications&value9=esa&sortDescending=true&sortField=default&pageSize=10&index=4, http://esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/search/article?option1=tka&value1=Effect+of+two+ant+species&operator9=AND&option9=publications&value9=esa&sortDescending=true&sortField=default&pageSize=10&index=4, http://swfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/hlb/database/pdf/21_Navarrete_13.pdf, http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.052.0210?journalCode=afin, http://esa.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/search/article?option1=tka&value1=Effects+of+Pheidole+megacephala+%28+Hymenoptera%3a+Formicidae+%29+on+survival+and+dispersal+of+Dysmicoccus+neobrevipes&operator9=AND&option9=publications&value9=esa&sortDescending=true&sortField=default&pageSize=10&index=1, http://www.issg.org/database/species/reference_files/phemeg/hoffmann1999.pdf, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1442-9993.2000.01021.x/abstract?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false, Pest Ratings and Mitigating Actions, Section 3162 (PDF), Pest Rating Proposal Form (Word Document), Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms, The Jepson eflora: Most recent manual of California plants with up-to-date names, CalWeedMapper: Maps showing distribution and status of California weeds, Calflora: Localities of California plants, including weeds, The Consortium of California Herbaria: Information and interactive mapping of vouchered California plant occurrences, Gallery of Pests | Global Invasive Species Team – The Nature Conservancy. ; Wilson, 2003: 549 for the long distance spread of noxious weeds through the environment of California of. 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