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Native to Argentina and Brazil , the Argentine ant (''Linepithema humile'' or ''Iridomyrmex humilis'') has spread to many areas around the world like Africa , Australia and many parts of United States , including Texas and California . German entomologist Dr. Gustav L. Mayr identified the first specimens of ''Linepithema fuscum'' in the vicinity of Buenos Aires , Argentina in 1866. Since then, 28 species-level names have been assigned to ''Linepithema'' (Bolton 1995). They have been extraordinarily successful, because different colonies of the Argentine ants do not compete with each other, unlike the other species of Ant s. Their Genetic makeup is so uniform that individuals from one colony can mingle in a neighboring colony without being attacked. Thus, in some areas they may behave as a super-colony. Argentine ants almost invariably have several reproductive queens in each colony, as many as eight for every 1,000 workers, so eliminating a single queen does not stop the colony's ability to breed. When they invade a kitchen, it is not uncommon to see two or three queens foraging along with the 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. The worker ants are only about 1.6 mm (1/16th inch) long. They 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. They are attracted by electrical currents and are known to have caused damage to air conditioners, heat pumps, telephone junction boxes, traffic lights, gasoline pumps, and so on. When they become lodged or Electrocuted between the contacts of Relay s, it damages the contacts and causes the equipment controlled by the relay to malfunction. PEST CONTROL Due to their nesting behavior and presence of numerous queens in each colony, it is generally impractical to spray Argentine ants with pesticides or to use boiling water as with mound building ants. Indeed, spraying with pesticides will stimulate increased egg-laying by the queens, compounding the problem. The most effective control is through use of slow-acting poison bait, which will be carried back to the nest by the workers, eventually killing all the individuals, including the queens. It may take four to five days to eradicate a colony in this manner. An effective homemade recipe consists of a solution of granulated white table Sugar and Boric Acid , placed in a shallow dish in the area being invaded: :1/4 teaspoon boric acid powder :3 tablespoons water :1 tablespoon sugar The boric acid will dissolve only if the water is hot, or one can mix the ingredients cold, then place the container in a microwave oven to bring the water to boiling temperature. When mixed in small quantities, the solution can be stored in a dropper bottle and dispensed as needed to replenish the bait dish. Although the solution isn't particularly hazardous when used in small quantities as described here, the bait dish should be placed out of reach of pets and children. This formula works by dessication and laceration. The solution begins to draw water from the ant's body, causing slow dehydration. Also, as the ants or their Larvae transpire water, the solution becomes more concentrated, causing the boric acid to crystallize and lacerate the digestive tract. NOTES The recipe is scaled down from an article by Keith Muruoka in the Morgan Hill Times , Friday, December 27 , 2002 . The original formula called for 4 teaspoons boric acid powder, 3 cups of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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