Let us introduce you to Señor Argentine ant. He hails from Argentina and Brazil, where it is assumed that the intrepid wanderer made his way aboard a ship headed to New Orleans. After checking out the local Jazz clubs, he got right to work building his vast network of nests and colonies. Eventually, his offspring left the nest and hitched a ride out west, finding San Diego as delightful as all of those pesky humans that live there.
Why Argentine Ants Are A Problem
While Señor Ant won’t bite you, He certainly can cause serious problems to your San Diego property and surrounding community. They are nomadic, preferring not to spend time building a solid home with networking tunnels. This makes it very difficult to eradicate their colonies. Argentine ants are experts at evacuating their eggs when the nest is threatened by weather, predators, or humans. Even worse, they breed rapidly, with a million drones per colony and upwards of 300 Queens.
- They displace the native Harvester ant, which has consequences to our ecosystem.
- Being lovers of sweets your fruit trees are a target. If these guys set their sights on fruit trees, they will destroy your harvest.
- They are also the local muscle for aphids. They will protect and even carry them into the center of your roses. Why? Because aphids produce something called “honeydew” that the Argentine ant absolutely loves.
- They have been known to invade bird nests to feed on the eggs and attack beehives to eat honey and larva.
Procreation and feasting clearly motivate these Latin lovers. Blocking or eliminating their food supply is a great place to start.
How to Keep Them Away
We know that they are a very thirsty insect, setting up camp in moist environments such as near leaky pipes, under slabs, in neglected areas of your yard under piles of leaves, inside rotten trees, and so on. Basically, they thrive anywhere that they will be protected from being washed away by the rain but still have the dampness they need to thrive. We also know that they are sugar junkies, always on the hunt for more. Let’s look at some ways to keep them away.
- Tighten up any leaky pipes and cover them with insulation to avoid condensation.
- Plug up all the entry-ways where Argentine ants could make their way into your home.
- Keep food in plastic, airtight containers with seals. These ants are tricky and can follow the spiral threads up into a tightly screwed on lid to gain entry.
- Clean up any debris or fallen trees around your home.
- Use peppermint oil as a deterrent at entry points.
- Take out your garbage frequently and wash the interior of your trash can.
A little DIY extra - Don’t expect that aerosol sprays will be the answer. They are more deadly to you, your family, and your pets than to the ants. If you must use them, spray contents onto a paper towel and wipe along the ant trail.
For Total Argentine Ant Control
So, how do you give Señor Ant, his royal wives, and their one million children the boot? Welp, it’s not easy. As we said earlier, they like to move around and are hard to track. At Green Flash Pest Control, we have spent 25 years learning ‘The ways of the Argentine’. Our family-owned business understands that the last thing you need is an invasion of aggressive ants at Billy’s backyard birthday party, on a mission to eat the cake before the candles are even blown out. We’ve been there! That’s why we are dedicated to a safe solution to rid your home of these pests, sending them a clear message that they are no longer welcome. We will spend time tracking each ant line, in an attempt to eradicate all nests. Reach out to us today to learn more about our ant control process for your business and recurring home pest control options!