Argentine Ants

The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, formerly Iridomyrmex humilis) is a tiny dark ant native to northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. The species has been inadvertently introduced by humans to many other areas of the world, such as South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, Easter Island, Australia, Hawaii, Europe, and the United States.

The worker ants are only about 3 mm (1/8th inch) long and can easily squeeze through cracks and holes no more than 1 mm (0.040 inch) in size. Queens are two to four times the length of workers. These tiny ants will set up quarters in the ground, in cracks in concrete walls, in spaces between boards and timbers, even among belongings in human dwellings.

German entomologist Dr. Gustav L. Mayr identified the first specimens of Hypoclinea humilis in the vicinity of Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1866. This species was shortly transferred to the genus Iridomyrmex, and finally to Linepithema in the early 1990s.

Source: http://antfarmz.net

Thief Ant

Solenopsis molesta, also known as thief ants, get their names because they often raid other ants’ nests for food and to steal eggs. They are also called grease ants because they are attracted to grease.

S. molesta range anywhere from 1/32 (0.5 mm) of an inch to 1/8 (3 mm) of an inch long. They can be yellowish or brownish tones of color. These ants have a two-segmented petiole connecting their abdomen to the thorax. They have 10 segments in their antennae, which end in large segmented clubs. Thief ants have small stingers on their oblong abdomen, and generally have small eyes. Worker ants have large jaws for carrying food back to the colony.

The habitat of Solenopsis molesta is infinite, because they can survive just about anywhere. They can live in people’s homes, in the cracks or under the floorboards. They can build nests anywhere, such as under rocks, in any exposed soil, and rotting logs. If they cannot find any of these things, then they move into another colony. Their nests are generally large for the ants’ size, and have tunnels that lead to another ant colony for a reliable and steady food source.

Source: http://antfarmz.net

5 Tips on Killing Ants in Your Home

It’s getting hotter and dryer and the ants can tell. I woke up this morning and saw some good sized trails in our kitchen. My wife and I have this battle every year and here are some tips we’ve picked up:

1. Unequivocally, the most important thing is to take away their food source. ie; clean! The pesticides and other chemicals are all useless if there is food exposed (especially sweet stuff).

2. Boric acid. Get it. Have it around. It ROCKS.

3. Ant “motel” type traps. these actually are just poison “baits” where the ants go in and bite off chunks of sweet tasting poion and then go elsewhere never to return again.

4. Use Boric acid or whatever other chemicals you prefer along the perimeters of your home along with any crack or crevice where ants seem to be getting in. There has to be a passageway . . . that’s the place to hit them.

5. Make sure you keep all food wiped off counters and all your food items in the pantry are sealed or closed tightly. After you do all these things for a couple days or maybe a week, the ants go find better and easier food sources.

Did I cover this well? Tell me what you do that I haven’t said?


Source: http://www.postcardsfromthefunnyfarm.com