Argentine Ants

The Argentine Ant is commonly referred to as the sugar ant.

Identification

• Argentine (sugar) ants are light to dark brown

• As small as 1/8 of an inch

• One erect node

Environment

• Argentine ants 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

• Commonly seen in homes

• Often enter structures in search of food and water, particularly during dry or hot weather or after heavy rainfall

Threats

• Sugar ants 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 sugar 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

• Argentine ants begin feeding on the bait, then they will feed it to their colony and it will slowly eradicate