Summary: Citronella ants live underground, so you rarely see them, but on occasion, they do find their way into homes.Citronella ants are bright yellow and have a strong citrus smell when crushed. Other than their size, the workers, swarmer ants, and queens all look similar. Snoop around in the basement for trailing ants or suspicious-looking little piles of soil. The ants have a strong lemon smell when crushed that gives them their name citronella ant. Ants are attracted to it and, when ingested, it ultimately kills them. Shortly after mating, the male dies. Get rid of ants with soapy water. This ant is somewhat larger compared to other ants. A soapy water spray is an effective way to get rid of flying ants, fire ants, carpenter ants, and most other ant species.In fact, it works so well as an insect repellent that you can also use it to repel cockroaches naturally.The soapy water sticks to the legs and wings of ants rendering them useless and it also washes away their chemical trail. Citronella ants come in two sizes - Lasius interjectus, the larger yellow ant and Lasius claviger, the smaller yellow ant. The AntsCanada Global Ant Nursery Project™ offers a simple solution for those needing ant colonies with a queen for their formicariums, and also provides an opportunity for ant hobbyist to earn some extra money doing what they love. These ants has only one queen in the colony. The nest under soil, in logs and rocks, and landscape timbers. The worker Citronella ants then care for and feed the ant larvae until they pupate.

Even thought it has a distinctive yellowish brown color it is also 1/8-3/16 inches long. The AntsCanada Global Ant Nursery Project™ Our Project Objective.

Control: Because Citronella ants are only a nuisance when they swarm, chemical controls are typically neither needed nor recommended. They also have six legs, two antennae, and compound eyes. A second remarkable species of ant was enlarging its colony along the upright boards of the sandbox. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Citronella ants are one of the most interesting pests that home and business owners in the Northeast may come across. These small yellow ants emit a lemon-like scent when they feel threatened or are stepped on – hence the name citronella ant. Locate the citronella ant nest. Winged Queen Citronella ants mate in late September and October (the swarming season) then seal themselves in a small nest in rotted wood or soil to lay their eggs. This ant does not have a stinger. The mating period of the citronella winged queen ant is towards the end of September and October (which is the swarming period). Should I just release her or is there other food they will eat? The citronella ant gets its name from the lemon or citronella odor that people smell when they crush a worker. Acanthomyops interjectus goes by many colorful names including citronella ant, yellow ant, and lemon ant. Borax is toxic to ants and helps rid them from your house and garden.

Citronella ants (Acanthomyops interjectus), also called foundation ants and large yellow ants, often cause concern that isn't warranted. Alternatively, mix borax with granulated sugar in a 1:3 ratio.