A Samsum ant worker
Samsum Ant head showcasing the mandibles, eye and bead-like antennae
Samsum Ant single waist with enlarged pedicel
Notice the stinger on the tip of the abdomen
Entrance to the Samsum Ants Nest
The summer season is bringing forth a different wave of pest activity! As we are all hiding in the shade and getting cozy in air conditioned rooms, numerous little critters are busy rounding up food and other resources outside, among these are hordes of ants species. When it comes to the ant fauna here in the Emirates, there is a species that is well known for its prevalence and its dangerous venom, locally it is called “Samsum”, to science it earned the name Brachyponera sennaarensis (Mayr).
Brachyponera sennaarensis (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE: Ponerinae)
DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES: Adult worker ants (All Females!) are small, 5-6mm long, have black colored body, with reddish-brown legs and mouth parts The antennae are long and elbowed, terminating into a club. At the posterior end of the abdomen is a prominent sting. The alates or reproductive winged females are largerthan the workers, 8-9 mm long and bears pale yellowish wings. The winged males are smaller, 6-8 mm. The larvae are white, legless and wormlike, 2-3mm long. Pupae are white, 4.5mm long enclosed in an orange colored pupal case.
DISTRIBUTION: It is reported to be present in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, mainly associated with human habitation.
LIFECYCLE: For ants the total developmental period (egg to adult) takes from just a few weeks up to a whole year to complete. This is influence by the surrounding conditions, temperature, humidity and the availability of food materials. The female workers can live up to 7 years. While the Queen can continuously reproduce up to her lifespan of almost 15 years.
BIODYNAMICS OF THE SPECIES: Ants are social insects which lives in colonies composed of 3 different castes: workers, queen and males. The worker ants is responsible for gathering food, defense, orderliness of the colony and taking care of the young. The Queen is in charge of establishing the new colony and laying eggs. The male’s only role is to inseminate the Queen.
The nesting and social habits of the Samsum ants are variable. They can be observed living in colonies composed of only a few individuals to a large colony composed of thousands of workers. They are mainly leaf litter inhabitants which forage as predators subduing their prey with their venom or they can also be scavengers, looking for any insect debris or protein rich materials. These ants can also attack bee hives and kill honey bees.
These species established their nest in humid microclimates and moist soil. Nests can be found in soil and sand around garden plants and between paving blocks. They also exploit the cracks and crevices inside houses to allow the workers to forage. Human activities such as overseas trading, construction works and irrigation of plants are the major means of introduction of these ants species.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: It is the close proximity of the nests and foraging areas of these ants to human habitation, their observed pugnacity in defending their nest and their notably painful stings, which makes them a public health threat. There are reports of cases of stings in a few hypersensitive individuals that resulted in urticaria (hives), wheezing and shortness of breath, generalized oedema and laryngeal oedema, anaphylactic shock, even death. However, not all people are sensitive to the Samsum stings, most cases just feel a temporary pain or light swelling which disappear in just a few minutes.
IPM PROTOCOLS
1.Inspection in always key in managing pest populations, inspect the area, observe where the ants are emerging from, follow the trail first unto its nest. Check for the nest outdoors and their access points inside the facility.
2. Sanitation. Ants are active foragers, they are actively searching for food and moisture sources. Removal of food debris on tables, floors, and other exposed undersurfaces will limit their foraging indoors and also in gardens and other areas.
3. Caulking. To deter foraging indoors, seal off the emergence or access holes these ants are using on walls, door jambs and window sills.
4. Residual Spraying. Based on your inspection, ant trail checks and nest monitoring, focus your pesticide application on the nest outdoors. Use approved Microencapulated (MC) or Suspension Concentrates products (Synthetic pyrethroids, Neonicotinoids or Combo Products) to drench the nest. Drench as in drench the nest don't just surface spray the nest. Ants nest are subterranean remember that! For outdoor areas, you can also conduct barrier spray treatment to provide direct contact in areas where high ant numbers are observed. Always read and follow LABEL instructions when using, handling applying pesticides.
5. Granular Baiting. For outdoor areas, application of granular baits offer also effective control. Focus your granular application on nests or colony areas and not on the indoor trails. Apply sufficient granular baits on the nests, on your outdoor area broadcast and on the ant bait stations. Foraging ants can easily gather and take these baits, monitor the bait uptake. A tablespoon of granular bait can be forage by an active colony in less than 10 mins. Continue to apply bait, by increasing bait uptake, more colony members can be affected. Take note: an ant colony is composed of thousands of ants!
6. Monitor. Follow-up and Conduct Additional Treatment applications until ant population is addressed. Communicate this process to the Customer and the Facility Stakeholders accordingly.
Awesome creatures. Awesome CREATOR!
Thanks for your support and careful attention.
If you need Pest Management Training, Technical Field Support, On-Line and On-Site Consultancy, please feel free to send me an email: odelon.reyes@gmail.com
