Argentine Ants in the Backyard... and everywhere else...

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

Canon T2i, 100mm-L, Full Stack Set of Kenko Extension Tubes, 1/200th, f/8, ISO 100, remote 580EXII @ 1/32 power+mini-softbox.

These are the tiny "black ants" that are often found raiding kitchens.
I recently listened to a Radiolab podcast about a colony in California that is 600 miles long!
These were in my backyard.

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

We have a really bad ant problem in the summers.. even just waking up and going to the kitchen or bathroom there's a few hundred you have to wipe off the counters before you do anything. It's disgusting. My mom's only tried ant poison that she puts under the counters. I'm trying to get her to try liquid peppermint, but of course all she does is sit at her computer emailing friends and blaming us kids for the ant problem.

 

[suzi]

Hi Dave fantastic photos! I have been battling the Argentinas since I moved here to Cailfornia. I have tried so many things to get rid of them because they bombard my feeders and cham cages. They have eaten hundreds of dollars worth of crickets over night!!! I recently had to call the exterminator and have them deal with it because the amount of ants I had was unbelievable! The exterminator could not believe he eyes when he saw how many were in my cham room. luckily he never had to spray inside and the problem is now solved. I have learned a lot about this particular ant species over the past year

 

[ataraxia]

Awesome pics!

 

[Eltortu]

Great pictures Dave! I always have problems with ants. Awhile ago they got into my crickets and Dubias bins that I keep in the garage. Can't stand them ants...