The Argentine ant can now be found on every continent except Antarctica thanks to accidental worldwide introductions. Argentine ants are native to South America, but are easily found throughout the United States. These social ants form supercolonies that can be extremely difficult to control report pest control experts in Monmouth County, NJ.
All ant species have a distinct smell which will alert the colony when strange ants approach. The distinct chemical profile that they emit helps them to recognize each other and keep intruders and hostile ants away from the nest.
Scientists have recently discovered that argentine ants in North America, Europe and Japan all have the same chemical profile. This means that the ants in all of these countries are related and are part of what scientists believe to be a global supercolony of ants.
Ants are amazing species that are able to carry 50 times their own body weight. Argentine ants do not dig deep tunnels for their colony like other types of ant species. Instead these invasive ants nest under loose soil, mulch, gravel and leaf litter that is near foundation walls. They are highly invasive and have been known to even win wars against the fiery and aggressive red ants which plague so many residences in the United States. Once these ants take a stronghold on your property, they are extremely difficult to control.
Argentine ants prefer to live outdoors and do not typically nest within the confines of a structure. They will however make their presence known on the interior of homes and businesses as they forage for a good food source. Because of human commerce and travel, Argentine ants can arrive at any moment in time. It’s important to nip Argentine ant infestations in the bud early by calling a pest control experts in Monmouth County, NJ to eradicate these pests before their numbers reach into the millions.