Funnel Ant

Funnel ant (Aphaenogaster pythia) are a serious pest in turf due to the mounds of loose pellets of dirt they excavate to the soil surface. Mounds are up to 25 cm wide and 20 cm high with cone shaped sides and a funnel-shaped opening at the top. Worker ants are found by digging into the mounds, but are hard to find during the day. Workers are honey-coloured and about 5 mm long. They do not bite. Sexual stages are darkerc oloured and have wings, males are 5.5 mm long and females 11 mm long. Funnel ants have two backward pointing spines in the middle of their backs. Damage is worst in areas with light soils and loose sandy subsoil.