The Argentine Ant

Your Chicagoland Guide on Argentine Ants

The Breakdown

COLOR	SIZE	LEGS	DANGER/DESTRUCTION RATING
Dark Brown	1/16 in	Six	Moderate

The Argentine Ant

Argentine ants are not native to the U.S. They get their name from the belief that they were originally brought over from Argentina. The worker ants are about 1/16″ long while the queen is double in size. They range from light to dark brown and can adapt to almost any place indoors or outdoors.

Argentine ants live in colonies of thousands and are extremely fast reproducers. These pests can eat nearly anything but are most keen for sweet and sugary foods. Many times you will smell a musty odor coming from these types of ants when they are killed. However, you might want to keep them around for their tendency to destroy and eat other insects that live amongst you such as termites and roaches.

Signs of an Infestation

Argentine ants are one of the most common pests to deal with, as many homeowners may see these ants return each year. Signs of an infestation could be visible trails of ants scavenging for shelter, food and/or water sources. Many times you will see these ants lined up going into cracks of homes, buildings and trees. These types of ants will usually make their way indoors if their outdoor nest is disturbed or if they find a better food source. Typically, the working ants usually live between one to two months, while a queen can live up to ten years.

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Understanding the Seasons

Weather has a profound effect on pest life cycle. Most pests, rodents and insects breed aggressively during spring and go through periods of hibernation during autumn and winter.

Spring

When the weather slowly begins to heat up, pests start to get more active after having stayed dormant over the colder winter months.

Birds often start to find mates and start building their nests.
Moths which consumer leaves usually become active again.
Flies often emerge from their winter hibernation places and start to breed and spread out.
Squirrels also spend the winter in hibernation. When spring approaches these creatures start looking for a new home. This is usually the time when they make their way into lofts and other spaces.

Summer

Summer is arguably the best season for pests. It is the time when they are in full swing and breed as rapidly as they can. Wasps are one of the most common summer pests followed by flies and rodents. Many a summer picnics and BBQs have been ruined by the ‘home invasion’ of these pests.

Wasps build their nesting grounds and lay their eggs during this time. Although the creatures are not directly harmful, they can be very aggressive and territorial at this time of the year, because they’re at their strongest.
The number of fleas also multiplies. Since pets spend more time outdoors during summer, they are more likely to bring the pests back indoors with them.
Bees are also more active during summer as they go out to gather nectar. Many times, homeowners find a new beehive in their garden and require pest control to take care of it. Because of their sting, bees are more dangerous than some of the other pests and you should call our professional service to get rid of them.
Moths and flies usually start to multiply significantly during summer.
Ants begin to swarm to find new mates and start new colonies during summer.
Cockroaches become very noticeable in the summer, especially in the kitchen and toilets. This is due to the hotter temperatures and stronger smells.
Bedbugs are also very active in the summer.

Autumn

Autumn is the month when things start to get cooler. The number of pests starts to dwindle as they begin to slow down their breeding activities.

Wasps start becoming dozy and docile. You may find them buzzing around occasionally as if they are drunk. This is usually the end-time for their life.
Spiders in particular are more active at this time of the year.
Squirrels will gather their food and start to look for shelter.
The second breeding phase for flies begins. These pests remain active during the season.
Rodents also become more active. Due to the approaching cold, rodents usually find shelter inside homes in the loft or inside walls.

Winter

The coldest months are when pests seek out warmth and shelter. You will find a number of insects especially rodents and lizards make their way inside your home.

Spiders come into our homes to escape the web-destroying frosts.
Rodents move indoors to escape the cold, increasing infestations.
In many cases, homeowners find squirrels nesting in lofts when they go to get their Christmas decorations.