They are small, measuring only about a tenth of an inch in length. The queens can measure up to two to four times the length of the worker ants. They nest in several different places including the ground, inside cracks in concrete walls and even among piles of clutter in your home. Outside, they generally nest in piles of loose leaves or underneath small stones. They choose these types of locations because they are not able to dig deep nests. However, if there is a deep nest nearby that has been abandoned, they will not hesitate to move in.

Argentine ants are a bit different than other types of ants because it is unlikely that ants from one nest will attack or compete with those of another. Instead, many of them can mix from one nest to another without being harmed. Because of this it is also common that this species of ant often forms “supercolonies”. There was a supercolony that grew so large, it stretched approximately 560 miles along the coast of California. The ants from this super colony were actually genetically linked to those from supercolonies in Japan and along the Mediterranean coast forming a global “mega-colony”.

Argentine ants can sometimes cause trouble. They will often displace native ants when they form a colony. This can cause problems for animals such as lizards which depend on these native ants for food.

Argentine ants are not something to take lightly. If you think you might have an ant situation in or around your home in the greater Los Angeles area, call the experts at Accuracy Plus pest control at (888) 675-0258 for your free inspection and estimate today!