One of the most common food-stealing ants in our area is the Argentine ant. If you are tired of finding these annoying pests crawling through your kitchen, today is your day to take action. To help you with this, here is a handy guide to fight back against Argentine ants in Mobile.
What Are Argentine Ants?
Argentine ants are native to Northern Argentina and have been widely distributed around the world. Now common around the United States, these pests show low levels of introspective aggression. This means they are less likely to fight amongst each other. Because of this, colonies of Argentine ants often grow to have over ten-thousand members.
Argentine ants build their colonies along sidewalks, around the exterior of buildings, and beneath plants, logs, and building materials. When the weather gets colder, these invasive pests might look for ways to invade and build a nest indoors. To help you spot these troublesome pests around your Mobile property, here are some identifiers to look for. Identify an Argentine ant worker by its dark brown to black, 1/16 to ¼” long body. Queens are slightly larger than workers and have wings.
The Problems Argentine Ants Pose
Argentine ants are not a direct threat to humans. These pests do not sting, bite, or spread any forms of diseases. They do, however, pose an environmental threat with the way they protect aphids, scales, and mealybugs. Trading protective services for honeydew, Argentine ants guard these invasive crop-destroying pests against agriculturally friendly insects.
The most noticeable problem Argentine ants bring into homes comes with their aggressive foraging habits. These pests do not care if food is on your floor, on your counter, or if you are currently eating it. Ants will form a line and attempt to gather it up. As you can imagine, this type of behavior quickly becomes annoying and frustrating.
Prevention Tips For Argentine Ants
As we head further into spring, ants are going to become more and more of a problem around homes. To help you safeguard your property against invasive pests like Argentine ants this season, try these general exclusion tips:
- Clear up clutter and eliminate debris around your yard.
- Make sure your gutters are in good repair and properly channeling water away from your home.
- Fix leaky piping and fixtures around your home.
- Eliminate sources of water build up around your property.
- Use a dehumidifier indoors.
- Fill in cracks, holes, and gaps in your home’s exterior foundation using a caulking gun or some liquid cement.
- Repair damage to siding, window/door frames, and screening.
- Make sure all of your exterior doors have door sweeps.
- Regularly clean your home, not neglecting to get beneath appliances and furniture.
- Pick up and clean out your pet’s food and water bowls after they finish with them.
When To Call A Professional
Handling ants on your own is not an easy task, but what is easy is getting a professional involved. At Prewett Pest Control, we provide comprehensive elimination and exclusion plans to deal with a wide range of pests including Argentine ants.
If your home needs affordable, year-round protection, we are here to help. Contact our team today to learn more about our ant control options and schedule your home for a detailed pest inspection.