Swarms of Large Yellow ants

[bugmankeith]

Does anyone here get swarms of large yellow ants in late Summer, when swarming it smells like lemons. I get thousands, mabye millions of them, but I always thought they were termites until this year when I found out the truth. When swarming this is the most I see of any insect species here at one time, it's amazing, and smelly. I find the workers under rocks and underground, but in summer thats when we get the winged ones. The birds like to eat them, but after a while they get sick of them.

 

[zinto]

I haven't seen them here in Arizona...can you take pictures? I think that'd be something to see. Thanks!

 

[bugmankeith]

I would have to wait till august, here is the link to what they look like.

http://schoolipm.unl.edu/ipmmodules/ants_files/images/image61.png

 

[rattler_mt]

we've got an ant species that uses a subsance that smells like citrus to ward off attackers, only have found a couple nests, they dont seem to be a very common species up here

 

[bugmankeith]

I dont think they use it ward off attackers, I think it's just to help them digest whatever they eat.

 

[rattler_mt]

nah i think its ment to ward off certain attackers, certain plants use the same smelling chemicals to ward off bugs and they only produce the smell when being bothered, atleast the ones i have found. im not even sure if we are discussing the same species as the guys i found were quite small

 

[Jesse607]

Sounds like an Acanthomyops spp. or the "Cintronella (sp?) ant"

 

[kraken]

I have red ones here that smell a sickly sweet smell...I always thought it was folic acid..