You will find Argentine ants mostly in southern United States and in California.
You won't find winged forms because mating usually is found in
the nest. Argentine ants are aggressive, often eliminating other types of ants in the same area.
They also destroy and eat other household pests such as cockroaches and exposed termites.
However, they prefer sweets and are often found tending aphids or scale insects on plants,
using them as source of honey dew. They usual habitation is outside, but can present a problem
when they come inside foraging for food.
They rarely nest in walls of buildings, as the pharoah ant.
They more often than not, enter to forage and then exit.

APPEARANCE:

The wingless worker ant(most commonly spotted),
is light to dark brown, about 1/12 to 1/8 inch long .
The antennae are strongly elbowed(12 segments) and there is a single node
in front of the abdomen(a waist).
Queens are 1/6 to 1/4 inch long.

REPRODUCTION AND LIFE CYCLE:

During the summer months,satellite nests are usually established close
to food sources and these satellite nests are highly mobile.

ANT TRAILS:

An excellent article(click on the PDF button-the top right corner of the document)by
Univ. of Florida Extension Service can be found at Ant Trails:Baiting..
It gives an overview of management with baits.

WHY ANT BAIT?

The use of residual sprays or dusts will cause stress on the colonies,
causing them to split into sub-colonies that scatter to other areas in the structure.
This is also called budding.

After spraying, your problem can be worse than at the beginning.

When you bait, you will want a slow acting bait.
Quick kill insecticides and baits will only kill the foraging ants,
not allowing the foraging ants to take the bait back home to feed the queen,
nest workers and brood.

If the current ant bait that you are using is not acceptable to the ants,
if they are not visiting the bait,
it is recommended that you change the baits. Ants require carbohydrates-sugars, proteins and greases.
They find a variety of these sources in nature. Examples are: other insects(proteins and greases), nectar, aphid honeydew ,
plant products(sugar and carbohydrates)

Choosing a bait would require knowing what they are currently feeding off of,
according to the nutritional needs of the colony.
To be sure that you have all the baiting needs met,
you may want to be ready with a sugar-carbohydrate bait,
a grease-fat bait, and a protein based bait.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REMOVE ANY OTHER FOOD COMPETITION WHEN BAITING
AND LEAVE THE BAIT ALONE ONCE THE ANTS START FEEDING ON IT.

HABITS

Argentine ants can persist in conditions where
other ant species could not survive.
They like to nest in moist soil next to buildings or under them.
They can be found near sidewalks or plants.
They nest near water and food sources.

Foraging ants will enter the house when outside conditions
are extremely dry or wet.
Colonies are large, often containing hundreds of queens.
The queens and larvae form will eat the protein / grease combination
almost exclusively, while the workers will eat
the sugar based baits.
They are extremely mobile, will move colonies frequently.

Argentine ants generate strong pheromone trails when foraging. They can be easily tracked. In many areas, you will see them pathing three and four abreast.

DIET

Argentine ants prefer sweet foods such as syrup, fruit juices or plant
secretions as well as protein. They gather food day and night.
The workers will only eat the sugar. Of all the smaller sized ant,
this one prefers sweet more than protein.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS AND TREATMENT

Baiting is the preferred treatment over typical residual spraying,
so you can eliminate the entire colony. Argentine ants generate strong pheromone trails when foraging. They can be easily tracked. In many areas, you will see them pathing three and four abreast.

The recommended products for the protein and grease eating cycle would be:

• MAXFORCE ANT BAIT STATIONS




• FLUORGUARD ANT BAIT STATIONS




• MAXFORCE ANT GRANULARS

The recommended products for the sugar eating cycle would be:

• MAXFORCE ANT KILLER BAIT GEL

  
  

•  REVENGE LIQUID ANT BAIT

• MAXFORCE GRANULAR ANT BAIT is an excellent choice for the outside , feeding all their dietary needs.

• Ant bait stations such as : ANT CAFES'S
  small or large plastic cubes (that snap shut )that keep the gel or dry granulated bait inside, may serve to keep the baits intact.

FOR SMALL SIZED ANTS (feeds all the dietary needs:protein, grease and sugar)
Maxforce Ant Bait Kit
Complete Ant Bait Kits: Small