Ants
Egg -- The white or pale yellow eggs are almost microscopic in size and vary in shape according to the species.
Larva -- The translucent, soft, legless larvae are segmented and vary in shape. One of the most common forms is gourd- or squash-shaped with the tiny head located at the small end. Size varies with species. The larvae are small enough to be carried by the worker ants.
Pupa -- The soft, colorless pupae resemble adults in size and shape. They may or may not be enclosed in papery cocoons.
Host plants -- The ants which damage turf do not actually feed on plants. Often, however, ants are attracted by sap from wounds or honeydew on the foliage of ornamental trees and shrubs. Ants feed primarily on seeds, small insects, and honeydew excreted by aphids associated with plant roots.
Damage -- Ants build nests in the ground. They are particularly troublesome around the fringes of golf greens, on fairways, and in lawns. The anthills and mounds often smother the surrounding grass. If ants nest about the roots of grass, they may kill them. They also feed on grass seeds in the ground, thereby preventing good stands of newly reseeded grasses. Moisture stress is common in ant-infested lawns due to root damage and the many tunnels which promote water loss from the soil.
Life History -- Ants live in colonies usually started by a fertile, winged female (queen) that makes a small nest and lays a few eggs. Such females eventually lose their wings. The queen cares for and feeds the first brood of larvae which develop into workers (wingless females). The workers construct and repair the nest, gather food and feed the immature and adult ants, care for the brood and defend the nest. Workers may also lay eggs but egglaying is usually the queen's job. Male ants appear only in very large or old colonies and die soon after mating with the new queen.