Argentine Ant (Iridomyrmex humilis)

Argentine ants are aggressive, often eliminating other types of ants in the same area. Worker ants will follow food trails for long distances so nests are not easy to track. They prefer sweet foods but will also eat live and dead insects, meats, cereals and damaged fruit.

Identification:
Worker ants: Approx. 2mm long, light to dark brown in colour.
Queen ants: Approx. 4 - 6mm long and usually more than one in a colony.

Biology:
Worker ants are produced in spring and increase in numbers up until autumn. Winged ants, (reproductive Kings and Queens), produced in early Spring, before the workers, mature within three months and mate soon afterwards. Argentine ants mate in their nest so no swarming is seen.

Control:
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, the problem can be worse than at the beginning. If baiting, use slow acting gel bait. Quick kill insecticides and baits will only kill the foraging ants, thus not allowing them to take the bait back home to feed the queen, nest workers and brood.

Products to control Argentine Ants: