Argentine Ants

Argentine ants also known as iridomyrmex is the commonest specie of ants all over the southern California. It is very tiny, dark-colored ant with almost 3mm (1/8 inch) in length usually intrude any house searching for food and water. Although, they can eat any food yet, their favorite is anything sweets. In particular, they are fond of the yolks of hard boiled eggs to the extent that they carry these tiny yellow clumps of yolk to their nest. They are very adaptive tot eh modern locations of the United States but they are very dangerous tot eh local wildlife by destroying fragile food webs. Argentine ants are very defensive and strong as a result of their hostile and forceful attitude coupled with the large size of their colonies which can potentially join forces with another colony.

These intruders are not uncommon in southern California as these 6 legged visitors enter your home in trail. Naturally, they love living outdoor what actually brought them to your home is food and water. More particularly, they love sweets, tuna, syrups or cough syrup, juices, eggs, dead spiders, rodents, vomits, feces and many more available organic matters. They play very significant role in the natural ecosystem most especially in Argentina. During the hot and dry weather, they often come to your home to look for water. In addition they love the honey dew secretion of aphids and also defend their aphid colleagues’ from the attack of natural predators. You may also find them at the cozy of your home during the fall months because of their dislike for cold.

Historically, argentine ants first arrived on United State ground towards the latter part of 1890’s as coffee ships from Brazil are offloading their cargo in New Orleans. Being a prolific breeders and ever mobile, they got to the southern part of America. Just one colony may comprise of 10,000 female workers and you may be having uncountable number of colonies very close to your home. The overall number of these ants should be around 1 million. Even though they are unable to sting, yet they are capable of biting their 3mm long notwithstanding their mandibles are so tiny that it cannot inflict anyone. Talking of the world of insects’ argentine ants could be terrorist. They are not only hostile; they are ready to defeat other ant species regardless of its size, strength or stings. Their large number can easily destroy or chase away any opposition including carpenter bee, killer bee or birds. Good enough, argentine ant can invade and destroy the termite colonies around your home.

Nearly all the ant colonies are localized and are ready to engage various colonies of same species in battle. Argentine ants it eh US have their origin in Louisiana, hence their DNA is same. To describe how formidable they can be, no coast horned lizard ca take them for granted. For the continuous existence of argentine ant colony, they inevitably require a dap locations. That is the more reason why can never invade many dry habitats being lived by native harvester ands and also the desert horned lizard. They are very delighted in living suitably watered gardens having a stepping stones as well as concrete slabs.

Argentine ants can be a terrific nuisance inside garden and orchards’ for the fact that they care for and guard scale insects and aphids. As compensation, they eat a sweet secretion released by the aphids which is known as honey dew. Argentine ants invade orchered trees in swarm and damage its entire crop.

Report has it that in every 10 x 10 foot (3 x3m) patio slab, argentine ants may be more than one million and around 20 30 queens. The life expectancy of the adult worker is 30 days or more, meanwhile queens can live as long as 10 or more years. Unlike other species of ants, the death of argentine ant queen automatically implies that another queen steps into her shoe. The queen of one colony in far away location can be welcomed into another colony elsewhere.