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Argentine Ant Identification and Control in Utah
Proper identification is an important first step in controlling ants.
Linepithema Humile
Argentine ants are 1/8 of an inch in length. They have one node (bump between middle and rear body sections) with a sharp peak distinguish it from odorous house ants.
They are light to dark brown in color and they have a 12-segmented antennae without a club. A club is an enlargement at the end of the antennae.
Ants generally enter buildings looking for food. Argentine ants have large colonies that require lots of food. If they find food, they will lay down a pheromone trail leading more and more ants to the food source.
Argentine ants can build their nests inside a building or in the outdoors.
If the nest is outdoors it can be found in soil, under rocks and logs, potted plants, landscaping mulch, concrete slabs, coal spaces, piles of wood or organic matter, or in exterior walls behind brick.
If the nest is indoors it can be found in wall voids, under carpets and in basements, usually near moisture like sinks, tubs, leaks, etc.
Need help controlling ants?
Identify the pest with our Argentine Ant gallery
Top view of an argentine ant
Photo by Bradley Reynolds / URL Image Copyright © AntWeb 2002 – 2021. Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution License
Photo by Bradley Reynolds / URL Image Copyright © AntWeb 2002 – 2021. Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution License
Head and mouth piece of an argentine ant
Photo by Bradley Reynolds / URL Image Copyright © AntWeb 2002 – 2021. Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution License
Photo by Bradley Reynolds / URL Image Copyright © AntWeb 2002 – 2021. Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution License
12 segmented antennae of an argentine ant.
Photo by Bradley Reynolds / URL Image Copyright © AntWeb 2002 – 2021. Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution License
Photo by Bradley Reynolds / URL Image Copyright © AntWeb 2002 – 2021. Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution License
Full view of an Argentine ant. Note the single node between abdomen and thorax.
Photo by Bradley Reynolds / URL Image Copyright © AntWeb 2002 – 2021. Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution License
Photo by Bradley Reynolds / URL Image Copyright © AntWeb 2002 – 2021. Licensing: Creative Commons Attribution License
Where Do They Live
You can find argentine ants where you find moisture such as water pipes, sinks, potted plants, under boards/stones/plants, and along sidewalks.
Name:
Linepithema humile
Size:
Small (4-8 mm)
Diet:
Honeydew, sweets, oils and insects
Tips for keeping argentine ants away
How To Keep Ants Away
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Trim back any shrubs or trees that come into contact with buildings. When plants touch a home or building they create an easy way for ants to crawl onto and access the building.
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Seal all potential ant entryways. Common entry ways are around windows, doors, and utility lines.
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Keep dry pet food in sealed bins and clean up any spills.
How to Get Rid of Ants
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Try to locate and eliminate all nests by following ant trails from food source to the nest. This can be done by placing jelly or hot dogs in the yard, waiting 30 minutes to an hour, and then following the trailing ants back to their nest.
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Use an insecticidal bait, especially during winter through early spring when populations are small. You can bait throughout the year but early spring leads to best results.
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Simply “spraying” for argentine ants rarely gets control and leads to frustration. Baiting or baiting combined with a slow acting-non repellent along the foundation gets better results. Most products that you can buy at the store are not slow-acting or non-repellent.
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Stay away from store bought “sprays” for argentine ants.
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Controlling these ants is hard, so consider hiring a pest management professional to help.
Don't let ants take over.
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