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 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

Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees such as plums, peaches, or cherries, I'm sure you recognize that those sorts of trees are much susceptible to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it may be rather hard to live with all of the maladies that can plague the life of everyone who has ever grown one of those sorts of fruit trees.

The primary disease that you will hear around the most is known as “Brown Rot”. This is a fungus that attaches to most of the leftover fruits after the picking season has ended. Not just does it look disgusting on the leftover fruits, but it is in addition can return on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible (unless you enjoy eating fungus). To prevent this malady, you ought to prune your trees often to inspire good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the principle cause of the brown rot. Also when you are performed picking for the season, you should get rid of all of the leftover fruits in the tree or on the floor.

A cytospora canker is a disgusting dark, soft area on tree branches. Gum protrudes through the bark, along with a large callus. The pathogen which causes these cankers usually enters the tree through older wounds. If you prune all of the sprouts that occur in late summer, cankers will have a harder time making themselves known within your tree. When you prune, always allow the wounds to heal naturally in place of use the wound dressings that you can buy at gardening stores. I've discovered that these usually do hardly any to help any situation, and only help make the tree look unnatural.

Those planting plum trees might cope with something called Black Knot. The signs of black not are rough tumors or growths that can be seen on the tree's branches. If you see any of these, you ought to immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. If you use branches for mulch usually, don't for this one. This ailment can easily re-enter the tree if it is within a certain distance.

Virtually everyone who has ever maintained a cherry tree has handled the “Cherry Leaf Spot”. It usually shows itself when there are old dead leaves accumulated on the ground. Preventing this ailment is fairly easy. All you need to do is be fairly diligent in raking up all of the leaves that fall from your tree. If you've already seen signs of the ailment, you ought to destroy all of your raked leaves. If not, then you should be able to make use of them as mulch.

When your fruits ripen and become ready for picking, you should always be completely finished with picking within 2 weeks. It is best to daily go outside and pick all of the new ripe fruits, along with any that have fallen off of the tree or are starting to rot on the tree. By doing this, you will prevent bees and wasps from becoming too addicted to your tree for nourishment.

Growers of fruit trees are forever faced with diseases and pests to worry about. Even so, if you take the proper precautions then you are able to avoid the majority of them. You should likewise search for any diseases that have been affecting your region, and try to take steps to prevent those as well.

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Features: 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 in addition 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 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 common ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can also be found in the lower 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 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 fragile food webs. They are especially formidable owing 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 likely have experienced endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling through your home. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail initially 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 are like sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, vomit, faeces and just about 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 times 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 protect their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get chilly, 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 on the go, they moved across the southern half of the United States. A single colony might comprise 10,000 female workers, and there could be many hundreds of colonies around your home; the whole number of ants could easily reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; however, 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 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 could attack dry- timber (aerial) termite colonies in your house. 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 identical species. Since Argentine ants in the US arose in the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely associated with alike DNA. They apparently 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 simply 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 aging in San Gabriel Valley, and I can personally testify that it provides 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 leading to the elimination 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. 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 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 could 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 various workers. Although these ants are just 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 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 one another, even though they are simply 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are lots of 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 extreme inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may not have the genetic variability to conform 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 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 even get into screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they're 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

Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees such as plums, peaches, or cherries, I'm sure you recognize that those sorts of trees are much vulnerable to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it may be rather difficult to live with all of the maladies that can plague the life of everyone who has ever grown one of those sorts of fruit trees.

The chief ailment that you will hear about the most is recognized as “Brown Rot”. This is a fungus that attaches to many of the leftover fruits after the picking season is over. Not only does it look disgusting on the leftover fruits, but it also can come back on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible (unless you love eating fungus). To avoid this malady, you should prune your trees often to encourage good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the main reason for the brown rot. Also when you are performed picking for the season, you ought to remove all of the leftover fruits in the tree or on the floor.

A cytospora canker is a disgusting dark, soft area on tree branches. Gum protrudes through the bark, along with a large callus. The pathogen which causes these cankers usually enters the tree through older wounds. If you prune all of the sprouts that occur in late summer, cankers will have a harder time making themselves known within your tree. When you prune, always permit the wounds to mend naturally in preference to use the wound dressings that you can buy at gardening stores. I've discovered that these usually do very little to help any situation, and only help make the tree look unnatural.

Those planting plum trees might deal with something called Black Knot. The symptoms of black not are rough tumors or growths that can be viewed on the tree's branches. If you see some of these, you should immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. If you use branches for mulch usually, don't for this one. This complaint can simply re-enter the tree if it is within a particular distance.

Nearly everyone who has ever maintained a cherry tree has answered the “Cherry Leaf Spot”. It usually shows itself when there are old dead leaves accumulated on the ground. Preventing this ailment is fairly easy. All you have to do is be fairly diligent in raking up all of the leaves that fall from your tree. If you have already seen signs of the disease, you ought to destroy all of your raked leaves. If not, then you are able to make use of them as mulch.

When your fruits ripen and become ready for picking, you should invariably be completely finished with picking within 2 weeks. It is best to daily go outside and pick all of the new ripe fruits, together with any that have fallen off of the tree or are beginning to rot on the tree. So this way, you will prevent bees and wasps from becoming too subject to your tree for nourishment.

Growers of fruit trees are constantly faced with diseases and pests to worry about. Still, if you take the correct precautions then you should be able to avoid the majority of them. You should likewise search for any diseases that have been affecting your region, and attempt to take steps to prevent those as well.

Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees such as plums, peaches, or cherries, I'm sure you know that those sorts of trees are much vulnerable to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it may be rather difficult to live with all of the maladies that can plague the life of everyone who has ever grown one of those sorts of fruit trees.

The chief disease that you will hear around the most is recognized as “Brown Rot”. This is a fungus that attaches to nearly all of the leftover fruits after the picking season has ended. Not only does it look disgusting on the leftover fruits, but it is additionally can return on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible (unless you enjoy eating fungus). To avoid this malady, you should prune your trees often to inspire good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the main cause of the brown rot. Also when you are done picking for the season, you should remove all of the leftover fruits in the tree or on the ground.

A cytospora canker is a disgusting dark, soft area on tree branches. Gum protrudes through the bark, along with a large callus. The pathogen which causes these cankers usually enters the tree through older wounds. If you prune all of the sprouts that occur in late summer, cankers will have a harder time making themselves known within your tree. When you prune, always permit the wounds to heal naturally as opposed to use the wound dressings that you can buy at gardening stores. I've found that these usually do very little to help any situation, and only serve to make the tree look unnatural.

Those planting plum trees might handle something called Black Knot. The signs of black not are rough tumors or growths that can be viewed on the tree's branches. If you see any of these, you ought to immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. If you use branches for mulch usually, don't for this one. This ailment can easily re-enter the tree if it is within a certain distance.

Nearly everyone who has ever maintained a cherry tree has addressed the “Cherry Leaf Spot”. It usually shows itself when there are old dead leaves accumulated on the ground. Preventing this complaint is fairly simple. All you need to do is be fairly diligent in raking up all of the leaves that fall from your tree. If you have already seen signs of the disease, you ought to destroy all of your raked leaves. If not, then you are able to use them as mulch.

When your fruits ripen and become ready for picking, you should always be completely finished with picking within 2 weeks. It is better to daily go outside and pick all of the new ripe fruits, along with any that have fallen off of the tree or are starting to rot on the tree. So this way, you will prevent bees and wasps from becoming too subject to your tree for nourishment.

Growers of fruit trees are constantly faced with diseases and pests to worry about. Still, if you take the correct safeguards then you can avoid the majority of them. You should also search for any diseases that have been affecting your region, and attempt to take steps to avoid those as well.