Western Exterminators - Pest Control Services California, Arizona, Nevada

	Common name:	Latin name:	Class:	Order:	Family:
	Argentine Ant	Iridomyrmex Humilis (Mayr)	Insecta	Hymenoptera	Formicidae

	Size:
	Workers are about 1/16 inch long. Queens are about 1/8-1/4 inch long.
	Color:
	Uniformly dull brown to dark brown body color.
	Where Found:
	Native to Argentina and Brazil, but probably brought to U.S. on coffee ships before 1891. Now found in the southern U.S. and common in California, with isolated infestations in Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Oregon, and Washington.
	Habitat:
	Shallow nests in the soil near a source of moisture, such as along sidewalks, under rocks, between plants, near water pipes, potted plants, and wall voids.
	Food:
	Often found outside near insects, such as aphids, which produce a honey-like secretion called honeydew. They prefer sweets, but also feed on oil, protein foods, fat, and meat.
	Biology:
	Colonies have many queens, and hundreds to several thousand workers. Numbers change depending on time of year. To survive the winter, nests are formed by colonies joining together. Different colonies get along, but Argentine ants are very territorial and aggressive towards other ant species. Mating takes place in the nest, so winged reproductive females are not often seen. Development from egg to adult takes an average of 74 days.
	Damage:
	Mainly a nuisance pest, but since they crawl over garbage, sewage, and carrion they can transport disease organisms.
	Invasion:
	Will come inside when the weather is very wet or very dry, and when they are short on honeydew.
	Control:
	Proper exterior treatment is important for long-term control. Locate nests by following ant trails from food sources. Successful control involves treating nests whenever possible. Look for objects in the yard under which ants might try to colonize or hide. These ants commonly run along the foundations of a structure or along the edges of concrete walks below the height of grass or groundcovers. If ants have invaded interior areas, preparation of lower cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms may be necessary. A treatment of wall voids near plumbing is suggested. This is a persistent pest in the Southwest. Multiple treatments may be necessary throughout the year to maintain control. Failure to gain control may be due to improper application techniques, equipment, or failure to eliminate the nest. Contacting the insects with the material is essential to control. Control with applications of liquid residual pesticides, baits or dusts. When using any pesticide, be sure it is registered for the target pest/location. Read the entire label prior to use. Follow all label directions, restrictions, and precautions.