Argentina is a really neat place to visit. The food is great, there is tango dancing (yes, Mr. Little has been known to cut a pretty mean rug on occasion!) and tremendous scenery, and really friendly people.
However, I do have one complaint – their namesake ant can be a real hassle for our customers! Argentine ants are an invasive ant species that most likely arrived in the U.S. on coffee ships before 1891. They are now found throughout the Southwest.
How do you know if you have Argentine ants or another of the dozens of species Western Exterminator’s customers might come across? Argentine ants establish shallow nests in the soil near a source of moisture, such as along sidewalks, under rocks, between plants, near water pipes, in potted plants and wall voids.
Argentine ant workers are 1/6 inch long and the queens are 1/8 to 1/4 inch. They are light to dark brown in color and their colonies can have several hundered to several thousand workers! That’s a lot of ants!
They also have a sweet tooth (Yes, ants do have teeth but as far as I know never visit the dentist.) and are often found outside near insects, such as aphids, which produce a honey-like secretion called honeydew. Argentine ants prefer sweets, but also feed on oil, protein foods, fat, and meat.
This is where the Argentine ant came become a problem for homeowners. Even though these ants typically live in nests outdoors near a food source they will aggressively forage for food and come indoors seeking their bounty. Sounds like another unwanted pest who shall go nameless – Menace Mouse!
What can you do to prevent Argentine ants from doing the tango in your kitchen or pantry? According to my colleague and entomologist Keith Willingham, who heads up our Technical Division, homeowners can follow these steps to keep ants and other pests away:
- Keep food in sealed plastic bags or containers. Pet food and foods with high doses of sugar are prime targets.
- Make sure to thoroughly rinse your recycled cans, bottles and plastic containers. The sugar residue from a soda can or syrup bottle is a written invitation for Argentine ants.
- Don’t allow excessive moisture or standing water to gather in or around your house. Argentine ants like moisture – don’t let them have it.
If you don’t enjoy dancing the tango with Argentine ants, the professionals at Western Exterminator can deliver a thorough, effective treatment that will send them packing. Spring is coming, and is the best time to get a jump on these annoying pests.
Do you have questions on Argentine or other pesky ants? If so, I want to hear them. You can send me an e-mail at AskMrLittle@WesternExterminator.com. I’ll be sure to get back to you right away with an answer.
Until next time, thanks for making Western Exterminator Company “The Final Word in Pest Control®”
Have a pest free day.
