Pest Control St. Louis

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Traits: It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes looking for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is in addition light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the stomach by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under wood, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most frequent ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can also be located in the low eastern United States area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; therefore, the correct binomial should be Linepithema humile. It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes hunting for food and water. They are specially like sweets, but will feed on practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants are exceedingly well adapted to urbanized areas of the United States with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose a serious threat to native wildlife by upsetting delicate food webs. They are especially formidable due to their aggressive behavior and the huge size of their colonies which can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you live in southern California, you in all probability have experienced endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling through your house. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail first of all laid down by scouts who were searching for goodies in your pantry. Although they prefer the outdoor life-style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They're fond of sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, be sick, feces and just about any other living tissue they can find. They are basically scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often times search your home for water, including restroom taps and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my bathroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and look after their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get icy cold, they once more seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly busy, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony may contain 10,000 female workers, and there could be hundreds of colonies around your house; the whole number of ants could also reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; still, they are only about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, internationally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They are very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and simply outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the huge wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably could not withstand an invasion of Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mother bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they might attack dry- timber (aerial) termite colonies in your house. I have observed this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar School greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very territorial, and will fight different colonies of the identical species. Since Argentine ants in the United States arose in the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely associated with very similar DNA. They apparently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. As a matter of fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will in reality "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They just outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become an essential threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The primary food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent many years observing this fascinating red ant while growing up in San Gabriel Valley, and I am able to personally testify that it provides a agonizing sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a aspect in the demise of California harvester ants, but an even greater factor resulting in the excretion of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Apparently the horned lizard is not like Argentine ants, and is in fact attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded some of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Obviously, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards as they tend and look after scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is especially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are likewise foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are safe by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the earth, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

As reported by entomologist David Faulkner, if you've a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you might have a million or more individuals and perhaps 20 or 30 queens. They interact fine because they're all related to the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or greater. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. In point of fact, a queen from San Diego would in all likelihood be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and various workers. Although these ants are only 3 mm long, they are very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their load in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely associated that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to one another as their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight one another, even though they are only 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are lots of native predators in Argentina, including fungal parasites and bacterium. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire thanks to excessive inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants might not have the genetic variability to adjust to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make certain your property is free of crums and food particles that may attract ants. Make sure that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can also enter screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they are inside!

Avoid using toxic aerosol insecticides inside your house–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Features: It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes looking for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is in addition light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the abdomen by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be found? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most frequent ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can also be located in the low eastern US area. According to Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; consequently, the proper binomial should be Linepithema humile. It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes in search of food and water. They are especially fond of sweets, but will feed on practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants are exceedingly well adapted to urbanized areas of the United States with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose a difficult threat to native wildlife by upsetting delicate food webs. They are especially formidable attributable to their aggressive behavior and the huge size of their colonies that can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you reside in southern California, you likely have noticed endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling through your house. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail first off established by scouts who were searching for goodies in your pantry. Although they choose to outdoor lifestyle, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are like sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, feces and almost any other organic material they can find. They are essentially scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often times search your house for water, including bathroom faucets and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my washroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and look after their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get very cold, they once again seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly active, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony may contain 10,000 female workers, and there can be many hundreds of colonies around your house; the whole number of ants could reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; still, they are merely about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, globally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They are very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and just outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the huge wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably couldn't withstand an invasion of Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mother bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they might attack dry- wood (aerial) termite colonies in your house. I have seen this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very territorial, and will fight different colonies of the same species. Since Argentine ants in the United States originated from the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all intimately linked with alike DNA. They apparently will accept ants from different colonies as members of their gigantic family. In fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will actually "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They simply outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become a serious threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The primary food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent a number of years observing this interesting red ant while grown up in San Gabriel Valley, and I am in a position to personally testify that it has a traumatic sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a factor in the demise of California harvester ants, but an even greater factor resulting in the excretion of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Apparently the horned lizard is not fond of Argentine ants, and is in reality attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded a few of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Of course, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards because they tend and safeguard scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is specially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are likewise foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are safe by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the earth, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

As reported by entomologist David Faulkner, if you have a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you might have a million or more individuals and possibly 20 or 30 queens. They interact fine because they're all connected with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or more. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. In fact, a queen from San Diego would in all probability be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and a number of workers. Although these ants are only 3 mm long, they're very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely linked that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to one another because their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, although they are just 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are many native predators in Argentina, including fungal parasites and bacterias. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire owing to abnormal inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may not have the genetic variability to adapt to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make sure your property is free of crums and food particles that might attract ants. Ensure that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can also get into screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they are inside!

Try not to use toxic aerosol insecticides inside your home–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Traits: It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes on the lookout for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is also light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the stomach by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most commonplace ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can likewise be found in the lower eastern US area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; consequently, the right binomial ought to be Linepithema humile. It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes in search of food and water. They are specially like sweets, but will feed on practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants can be really well adapted to urbanized areas of the US with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose a serious threat to native wildlife by upsetting sensitive food webs. They are specially formidable owing to their aggressive behavior and the huge size of their colonies that can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you live in southern California, you probably have seen endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests walking through your house. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail firstly laid down by scouts who were searching for goodies in your pantry. Although they like the outdoor life-style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are fond of sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, stools and just about any other organic material they can find. They are basically scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often search your house for water, including washroom faucets and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my washroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and safeguard their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get chilly, they once more seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their load in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly active, they moved across the southern half of the United States. A single colony may incorporate 10,000 female workers, and there could be hundreds of colonies around your house; the entire amount of ants could easily reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; even so, they are only about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, in the world of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They are very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and just outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the huge wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably could not withstand an encroachment in Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mother bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they may attack dry- wood (aerial) termite colonies in your house. I have noticed this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very highly territorial, and will fight different colonies of the identical species. Since Argentine ants in the US originated from the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely linked with alike DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as members of their gigantic family. In point of fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will in reality "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They simply outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become an important threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The main food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent a number of years observing this fascinating red ant while grown up in San Gabriel Valley, and I am in a position to personally testify that it features a agonizing sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a aspect in the demise of California harvester ants, but a greater factor leading to the excretion of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Apparently the horned lizard is not like Argentine ants, and is in reality attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded some of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Of course, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards because they tend and protect scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is especially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are also foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are safe by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the earth, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

As reported by entomologist David Faulkner, if you've a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you might have a million or more individuals and possibly 20 or 30 queens. They interact fine because they're all connected with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or longer. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. As a matter of fact, a queen from San Diego would in all probability be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and various workers. Although these ants are merely 3 mm long, they are very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely linked that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to each other because their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight one another, despite the fact that they are merely 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are many native predators in Argentina, including fungal parasites and bacterias. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire due to extreme inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants might not have the genetic variability to conform to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make sure your house is free of crums and food particles that may attract ants. Ensure that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can also get into screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they're inside!

Avoid using toxic aerosol insecticides inside your house–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Traits: It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes looking for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is also light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, like all other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the abdomen by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most common ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can also be found in the low eastern United States area. According to Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; consequently, the right binomial should be Linepithema humile. It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes looking for food and water. They are specially fond of sweets, but will feed upon practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants can be extremely well adapted to urbanized areas of the United States with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose a serious threat to native wildlife by upsetting breakable food webs. They are specially formidable owing to their aggressive behavior and the enormous size of their colonies which can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you live in southern California, you likely have experienced endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests walking through your house. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail initially established by scouts who were looking for goodies in your pantry. Although they prefer the outdoor life-style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They're fond of sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, vomit, faeces and almost any other living tissue they can find. They are essentially scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often search your home for water, including bathroom faucets and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my washroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and safeguard their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get very cold, they once more seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their load in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly busy, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony may incorporate 10,000 female workers, and there might be hundreds of colonies around your house; the entire number of ants could reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; yet, they are simply about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, globally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They're very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and just outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the enormous wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably couldn't withstand an encroachment in Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mum bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they could attack dry- wood (aerial) termite colonies in your home. I have noticed this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very highly territorial, and will fight different colonies of the identical species. Since Argentine ants in the US arose in the original colonizers in Louisiana, they're all closely associated with the same DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as members of their gigantic family. As a matter of fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will actually "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They just outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become an important threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The main food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent many years observing this fascinating red ant while aging in San Gabriel Valley, and I am able to personally testify that it features a painful sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a factor in the demise of California harvester ants, but an even greater factor resulting in the excretion of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Evidently the horned lizard is not like Argentine ants, and it's actually attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded a few of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Naturally, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards as they tend and safeguard scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is particularly serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are likewise foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are protected by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the earth, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

According to entomologist David Faulkner, if you have a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you may have a million or more individuals and perchance 20 or 30 queens. They get along fine because they're all connected with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or longer. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. As a matter of fact, a queen from San Diego would probably be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and a number of workers. Although these ants are merely 3 mm long, they're very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their cargo in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely linked that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to each other because their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, despite the fact that they are only 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are lots of native predators in Argentina, including fungal leeches and bacterium. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire because of extreme inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants might not have the genetic variability to adjust to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make sure your property has no crums and food particles that might attract ants. Make certain that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can also enter screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they're inside!

Avoid using toxic aerosol insecticides inside your home–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Features: It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes searching for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is also light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the abdomen by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most commonplace ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can likewise be located in the lower eastern United States area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; as a consequence, the right binomial should be Linepithema humile. It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes on the lookout for food and water. They are especially fond of sweets, but will feed upon practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants can be really well adapted to urbanized areas of the United States with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose a difficult threat to native wildlife by upsetting sensitive food webs. They are specifically formidable thanks to their aggressive behavior and the massive size of their colonies that can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you live in southern California, you in all probability have experienced endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling through your home. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail firstly laid down by scouts who were looking for goodies in your pantry. Although they choose to outdoor life-style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are fond of sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, be sick, feces and possibly any other organic material they can find. They are essentially scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often search your home for water, including restroom taps and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my washroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and protect their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get cold, they once again seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly busy, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony may contain 10,000 female workers, and there might be many hundreds of colonies around your house; the complete amount of ants could reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; nevertheless, they are merely about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, globally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They're very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and merely outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the enormous wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably couldn't withstand an encroachment in Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mum bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they might attack dry- wood (aerial) termite colonies in your house. I have observed this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very territorial, and will fight different colonies of the identical species. Since Argentine ants in the United States started in the original colonizers in Louisiana, they're all closely associated with the same DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as members of their gigantic family. In point of fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will in reality "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They only outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become an important threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The primary food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent many years observing this fascinating red ant while growing up in San Gabriel Valley, and I can personally testify that it has a agonizing sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a factor in the demise of California harvester ants, but a greater factor leading to the elimination of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Evidently the horned lizard is not fond of Argentine ants, and it's actually attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded some of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Obviously, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards as they tend and safeguard scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is especially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are also foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are protected by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the earth, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

As reported by entomologist David Faulkner, if you've a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you could have a million or more individuals and perhaps 20 or 30 queens. They get along fine because they're all linked with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or more. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. As a matter of fact, a queen from San Diego would in all probability be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and a number of workers. Although these ants are just 3 mm long, they are very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely associated that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to each other as their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight one another, although they are simply 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also the're a great many native predators in Argentina, including fungal leeches and bacterium. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire due to extreme inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants might not have the genetic variability to conform to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and ensure your house is free of crums and food particles that might attract ants. Make certain that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can also enter screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they're inside!

Avoid using toxic aerosol insecticides inside your house–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Traits: It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes searching for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is in addition light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the abdomen by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most frequent ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can likewise be found in the low eastern US area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; therefore, the correct binomial should be Linepithema humile. It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes searching for food and water. They are specifically like sweets, but will feed upon practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants are exceedingly well adapted to urbanized areas of the US with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose an important threat to native wildlife by upsetting fragile food webs. They are especially formidable as a result of their aggressive behavior and the massive size of their colonies which can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you reside in southern California, you in all probability have observed endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests walking through your house. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail firstly established by scouts who were looking for goodies in your pantry. Although they like the outdoor life style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are fond of sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, vomit, faeces and just about any other organic material they can find. They are essentially scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often search your house for water, including bathroom taps and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my bathroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and look after their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get very cold, they once more seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their load in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly busy, they moved across the southern half of the United States. A single colony might comprise 10,000 female workers, and there may be many hundreds of colonies around your home; the total amount of ants could easily reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; nonetheless, they are only about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, globally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They're very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and merely outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the massive wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably could not withstand an encroachment in Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mum bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they could attack dry- timber (aerial) termite colonies in your house. I have seen this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very territorial, and will fight different colonies of the same species. Since Argentine ants in the United States arose in the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely linked with alike DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. In fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will in reality "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They only outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become a difficult threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The main food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent a number of years observing this interesting red ant while grown up in San Gabriel Valley, and I am able to personally testify that it provides a uncomfortable sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a factor in the demise of California harvester ants, but an even greater factor leading to the liquidation of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Apparently the horned lizard is not like Argentine ants, and is in reality attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded a few of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Obviously, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards because they tend and look after scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is especially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are likewise foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are protected by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the ground, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

According to entomologist David Faulkner, if you have a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you might have a million or more individuals and perchance 20 or 30 queens. They get along fine because they're all associated with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or more. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. In fact, a queen from San Diego would in all likelihood be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and several workers. Although these ants are simply 3 mm long, they're very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their load in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely linked that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to one another as their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, even though they are merely 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are lots of native predators in Argentina, including fungal leeches and bacterium. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire because of excessive inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may not have the genetic variability to adapt to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and ensure your house has no crums and food particles that may attract ants. Make certain that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can also enter screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they are inside!

Avoid using toxic aerosol insecticides inside your house–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Traits: It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes on the lookout for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is also light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the stomach by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under wood, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most commonplace ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can also be found in the lower eastern US area. According to Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; as a consequence, the proper binomial ought to be Linepithema humile. It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes looking for food and water. They are specifically fond of sweets, but will feed upon practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants are really well adapted to urbanized areas of the US with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose an essential threat to native wildlife by upsetting breakable food webs. They are specifically formidable because of their aggressive behavior and the massive size of their colonies which can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you live in southern California, you likely have seen endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling through your home. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail firstly laid down by scouts who were searching for goodies in your pantry. Although they prefer the outdoor lifestyle, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They're like sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, feces and possibly any other organic material they can find. They are essentially scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often search your house for water, including washroom taps and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my washroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and safeguard their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get cold, they once again seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their cargo in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly busy, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony might incorporate 10,000 female workers, and there may well be many hundreds of colonies around your house; the entire amount of ants could also reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; although, they are only about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, internationally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They are very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and simply outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the massive wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably could not withstand an invasion of Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mom bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they could attack dry- wood (aerial) termite colonies in your house. I have experienced this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar School greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very territorial, and will fight different colonies of the identical species. Since Argentine ants in the US originated from the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely related with the same DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as members of their gigantic family. In point of fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will actually "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They simply outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become an essential threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The main food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent many years observing this interesting red ant while maturing in San Gabriel Valley, and I am in a position to personally testify that it features a agonizing sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a factor in the demise of California harvester ants, but a greater factor leading to the liquidation of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Evidently the horned lizard is not like Argentine ants, and it's actually attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded a few of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Obviously, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards because they tend and protect scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is especially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are also foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are protected by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the earth, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

According to entomologist David Faulkner, if you've a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you may have a million or more individuals and possibly 20 or 30 queens. They interact fine because they're all connected with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or more. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. In point of fact, a queen from San Diego would in all likelihood be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and several workers. Although these ants are only 3 mm long, they are very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their cargo in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely associated that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to each other as their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, although they are merely 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also the're a great many native predators in Argentina, including fungal leeches and bacteria. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire as a result of excessive inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may not have the genetic variability to adjust to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make sure your home is free of crums and food particles that may attract ants. Make certain that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can even enter screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they are inside!

Try not to use toxic aerosol insecticides inside your home–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Traits: It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes in search of food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is also light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the stomach by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most common ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can likewise be found in the lower eastern US area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; consequently, the right binomial should be Linepithema humile. It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes in search of food and water. They are specifically like sweets, but will eat practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants are exceedingly well adapted to urbanized areas of the United States with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose an essential threat to native wildlife by upsetting fragile food webs. They are especially formidable thanks to their aggressive behavior and the enormous size of their colonies which can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you reside in southern California, you probably have observed endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling through your home. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail first of all established by scouts who were looking for goodies in your pantry. Although they prefer the outdoor life-style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are like sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, stools and just about any other living tissue they can find. They are basically scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they frequently search your home for water, including washroom taps and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my restroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and look after their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get very cold, they once more seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their cargo in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly on the go, they moved across the southern half of the United States. A single colony might incorporate 10,000 female workers, and there can be many colonies around your home; the complete number of ants could reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; all the same, they are just about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, in the world of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They're very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and merely outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the massive wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably could not withstand an invasion of Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mother bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they may attack dry- timber (aerial) termite colonies in your home. I have noticed this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar School greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very highly territorial, and will fight different colonies of the identical species. Since Argentine ants in the US originated from the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely related with alike DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. In fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will actually "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They just outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become an important threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The primary food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent a number of years observing this interesting red ant while growing up in San Gabriel Valley, and I am in a position to personally testify that it features a agonizing sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a factor in the demise of California harvester ants, but an even better factor leading to the elimination of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Apparently the horned lizard is not fond of Argentine ants, and is in fact attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded some of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Naturally, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards because they tend and protect scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is specially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are likewise foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are protected by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the land, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

According to entomologist David Faulkner, if you have a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you may have a million or more individuals and perchance 20 or 30 queens. They get along fine because they're all connected with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or longer. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. In fact, a queen from San Diego would probably be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and several workers. Although these ants are merely 3 mm long, they're very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely related that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to one another as their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, despite the fact that they are only 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are many native predators in Argentina, including fungal parasites and bacterias. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire because of abnormal inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may not have the genetic variability to adjust to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make sure your property is free of crums and food particles that may attract ants. Make certain that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can even enter screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they are inside!

Avoid using toxic aerosol insecticides inside your house–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Traits: It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes hunting for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is also light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the stomach by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most common ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can likewise be found in the lower eastern United States area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; as a consequence, the right binomial ought to be Linepithema humile. It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes looking for food and water. They are specifically fond of sweets, but will feed upon practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants are exceedingly well adapted to urbanized areas of the United States with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose an important threat to native wildlife by upsetting sensitive food webs. They are specifically formidable due to their aggressive behavior and the massive size of their colonies that can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you live in southern California, you probably have noticed endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling through your house. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail firstly laid down by scouts who were looking for goodies in your pantry. Although they choose to outdoor lifestyle, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They're fond of sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, faeces and almost any other living tissue they can find. They are fundamentally scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they frequently search your home for water, including washroom faucets and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my bathroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and safeguard their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get cold, they once again seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their load in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly busy, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony may contain 10,000 female workers, and there may well be many hundreds of colonies around your house; the entire number of ants could easily reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; however, they are merely about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, globally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They are very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and merely outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the enormous wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably could not withstand an encroachment in Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mom bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they could attack dry- timber (aerial) termite colonies in your home. I have experienced this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very highly territorial, and will fight different colonies of the same species. Since Argentine ants in the US originated from the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely related with alike DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. In fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will in reality "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They only outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become an essential threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The primary food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent many years observing this fascinating red ant while growing up in San Gabriel Valley, and I can personally testify that it has a agonizing sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a factor in the demise of California harvester ants, but a greater factor leading to the liquidation of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Evidently the horned lizard is not fond of Argentine ants, and is in reality attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded some of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Naturally, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards as they tend and protect scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is particularly serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are likewise foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are safe by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the ground, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

According to entomologist David Faulkner, if you've a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you may have a million or more individuals and possibly 20 or 30 queens. They get along fine because they're all linked with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or longer. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. In point of fact, a queen from San Diego would probably be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and several workers. Although these ants are merely 3 mm long, they're very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely associated that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to each other because their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, even though they are simply 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are lots of native predators in Argentina, including fungal leeches and bacterias. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire because of extreme inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may not have the genetic variability to adjust to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make sure your home has no crums and food particles that might attract ants. Ensure that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can even get into screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they're inside!

Avoid using toxic aerosol insecticides inside your house–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol