When ants cause the significant losses to man outlined in the last section, steps have to be taken to reduce, or ‘control’ this damage. Controlling ants is a specialized technology often very different from that required to control other insect pests. Ants, in common with some of the other social insects present particular control problems, and also particular control opportunities which are well illustrated in the 14 papers which make up this section. These differences need more detailed examination, as they are responsible for the uniqueness of pest ant control methods.