Why Are Argentine Ants Bad?

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), are an invasive species native to South America that got to other parts of the world such as in the United States. The spread of this species is mainly due to globalization of trade and travel. These ants are said to reproduce at rates faster than native ants and form large colonies in turn.

So why are Argentine ants bad? Argentine ants are capable of building a supercolony, a network of colonies that unite to form a larger ant colony that can easily invade and displace native ant species. They're a type of ant pest that brought grave social, economic, and biodiversity impacts to areas that they invade. Control of Argentine ants is also quite hard to do, especially because Argentine ant colonies don't die off even when their queens die as they can easily replace their queen with another queen. 

Learn More: How Long Can Argentine Ants Survive Without Food?

Impact Of Argentine Ant Infestation

Argentine ants don't have a painful sting or acidopore (venom-secreting part) and they only bite with their small mandibles when provoked. These are the reasons why this invasive ant species isn't really that much of a threat to humans when it comes to the effect of their bites. Their bites aren’t that painful and can't bring in a life-threatening allergic reaction like that of another invasive ant species, the Asian needle ant.

However, for other animals especially the native species of places they invade, these aggressive ants cause more harm than good with regard to their impact on biodiversity. Moreover, although their bites are of little significance, Argentine ants still have significant social and economic impacts on the lives of humans.

1) Biodiversity Impacts

Argentine ants are invasive species that can antagonize the native biodiversity of the areas that they invade. Although they don't possess stings or acidopore, they can overtake other native ant species simply by the size of their ant populations.

Argentine ants can also displace other invertebrates by affecting litter decomposition, an activity that has been shown to reduce the abundance of land hoppers (Arcitalitrus sylvaticus). Their diet composed of sweet substances also causes a decrease in pollinating insects such as honeybees and sap-sucking insects because of their ability to get to the plants earlier than these insects. This also in turn affects the reproduction of the plants since Argentine ants are poor pollinators, unlike the said insects. 

Argentine ants can also attack vertebrates like nesting birds such as the mourning dove (Zenaidura macroura), the chicks of which are swarmed over and killed while the mother is driven away.

2) Social Impacts

Argentine ants are considered domestic pests which can affect the lives of humans they're interacting with. Some of the reported cases of social impacts brought by Argentine ants include the following:

• Argentine ants swarm over cupboards and other parts of the house where they can have access to the foods they prefer.
• Argentine ants colonize gardens and lawns, making the people living within the infested homes unable to hold social events and let their children play, especially with the fear of getting bitten. 
• Reports of people selling homes infested with Argentine ants are also prevalent.

3) Economic Impacts

Industries such as the agricultural industry report losses in terms of the increased cost of production brought by the attempts to mitigate Argentine ant infestation and also in terms of productivity, in that the quality of the products they're selling is reduced due to contamination with these insect pests and production of holes in irrigation pipes.

Signs Of Argentine Ant Infestation

Argentine ant invasions are marked by the presence of an ant trail approximately 3 ants wide, made up of uniform-looking Argentine ant workers which enter your houses in search of food and moisture. Trail pheromone helps these ants to remain on track such that they can go back to their ant nest or recruit more worker ants when necessary.

Argentine ant nests are shallow nests located near a food source and moisture. Thus, dense populations of ants found near water pipes or parts of the house where access to sweet substances may be present such as in kitchens may also indicate Argentine ant infestation. What easily sets these ants apart from other ants is that they secrete a musty smell when crushed and that they readily climb your fingers when you put your hand on their trail.

Read More: How to Repel Argentine Ants from Your Yard 

Control And Prevention Of Argentine Ants

Argentine ants are hard to eradicate because of their capacity to form super colonies, networks of colonies that have bud off from their original colonies but still have connections with each other. Upon the death of their queens, they can also choose another queen that can perform the duties of the dead queen so their colonies don't die upon the death of the queen, unlike other ant species. They also don't have natural enemies and thus can only be eliminated through physical and chemical means that humans can employ.

Physical Argentine ant control can be done by limiting the access of these ants to your homes by sealing entry points. Potted plants must also be thoroughly inspected before accepting or giving them as gifts as these can harbor Argentine ant colonies and further spread them. It's also a good idea to regularly repair leaky water pipes and always clean the house so as not to attract these pests.

Chemical Argentine ant control entails using insect sprays with active ingredients that are toxic to Argentine ants. You may also use ant baits such as borax that work by giving the worker ants food with slow-acting toxins that can kill them when ingested. Should you also opt to have safe alternatives that won't be toxic to you and your children, you may choose natural products such as peppermint and lemon eucalyptus oil that can be used as insect repellents.

Professional Pest Extermination Services At Pinnacle Pest Control

Argentine ants are an aggressive ant species that pose a significant problem for humans and native animals alike. Thus, the Argentine ant invasion should not be neglected and should immediately be addressed via a definitive and, ideally, a professional solution.

At Pinnacle Pest Control, we make sure to give the best professional pest extermination services through our competent employees that are experts in pest control. We also equip our employees with the latest technologies that can effectively fight off even the most aggressive pest insects. Contact us now at 916.381.5793 to request your free quote.