Argentine Ant
Invasive trail ants that form supercolonies and overwhelm kitchens and structures.
Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile) is a Florida pest we rate as a moderate concern. Rhino Pest Management provides ant control in Florida's Treasure & Space Coast — licensed (#JB242881) & insured technicians, rated 5.0★ from 16 Google reviews. Estimates are free: (772) 589-6842.
Photo: R1bonpnk (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons
Small (2–3 mm), light to dark brown, moving in wide, well-defined trails. They have a single node between the thorax and abdomen and lack the musty odor of odorous house ants.
Moist soil, mulch, under pavers and debris, and inside wall voids near moisture. Thrive year-round in Florida's climate.
- Wide, steady trails of small brown ants along sidewalks, walls and counters
- Trails moving into kitchens following any food or water source
- Supercolonies that seem to have no single nest — just endless workers
Argentine ants don't sting or cause structural damage, but their supercolonies (millions of workers, many queens) make them extremely difficult to eliminate with off-the-shelf products. They overwhelm kitchens and contaminate food.
Is this urgent?
Not an emergency, but don't sit on it. Argentine Ant establishes indoors and gets harder — and slower — to clear the longer the colony has to spread. Treated early it's a routine visit; left for a season it usually takes more than one.
Rhino uses slow-acting non-repellent baits that workers share throughout the supercolony, combined with exterior barrier treatment to cut off entry points.
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Scientific source
For the biology behind this page, the University of Florida's IFAS Extension publishes a detailed Featured Creatures profile of this species — free to read, and written by entomologists in this state:
Argentine Ant Linepithema humile (Mayr) — UF/IFAS Extension