Soil Amendment – Your Guide
Whether it’s knowing What Soil Type You Have, Testing Your Soil’s pH Levels or being familiar with common soil amendments, having the best lawn on the street ultimately starts ...
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Funnel ants (Aphaenogaster spp.) are named for their characteristic nests, which have small, conical entrances that resemble tiny funnels. These ants are relatively small, with a body length ranging from 4 to 6 millimetres, and are usually light brown or reddish-brown.
Funnel ants are widespread throughout Australia, especially in tropical and subtropical regions where they thrive in sandy and loose soil types. They are most active during warmer months, particularly in Spring and Summer, when they establish and expand their colonies.
Like other ants, Funnel Ants have a complex life cycle that begins with eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae, which develop into pupae before maturing into adult ants. During their reproductive phase, winged males and females leave the nest for their mating flight. After mating, the fertilised female starts a new colony by laying eggs, which hatch into worker ants responsible for foraging, nest-building, and expanding the colony. This life cycle is typically completed within several weeks, depending on environmental conditions.
The most obvious sign of a funnel ant infestation is the appearance of their distinctive nests. These funnel-shaped entrances can vary in size but are generally small, circular depressions in the soil, often accompanied by mounds of displaced dirt around the opening. These nests can make your lawn uneven, creating tripping hazards and bare patches where grass has been killed by the wide openings to their nests. If left untreated, heavy infestations can destabilise the soil, potentially causing larger ground collapses in areas with high ant activity.
