The Argentine Ant is commonly referred to as the sugar ant.
Identification
- Light to dark brown
- As small as 1/8 of an inch
- One erect node
Environment
- Can easily squeeze through small cracks and holes, and set up quarters in the ground, in concrete walls, in between boards and timbers, or among belongings in your home
- Common in homes
- Often enter structures in search of food and water, particularly during dry or hot weather or after heavy rainfall
Threats
- Will exhibit very strong trailing behavior at high temperatures.
- Exists in high numbers and moves quickly, forming a kind of ant interstate
- Ranked among the worlds 100 worst animal invaders
Treatment
- Because there are usually numerous queens in one colony, its not as effective to spray the ants with pesticides (this actually stimulates egg-laying by the queens, making the problem worse)
- Effective for a professional pest control technician to do a thorough inspection to determine where bait should be placed since they prefer sweet food
- Ants begin feeding on the bait, then they will feed it to their colony and it will slowly eradicate
