Argentine ants which my house and land is full of, are polygenetic -- multiqueen. Thus, the workers could be carrying aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, possibly great aunts and uncles. They are also incredibly neat. In my upstairs bathroom they struggle with dry wood termites and the ants are winning. The roof, made up largely of rotten second-growth cedar shingles, has been mined by several million Argentine ants. You can tell by their little flat hats with the fuzzballs hanging down and by the roses clutched in the teeth of the females. The tiptapping of millions of tiny feet working out the sinuous rhythms of the tango drives me wild! Any dry day you can see endless parades of ants working their way down the tall Tuscan columns in the in the Palladian facade into the surrounding flower beds to slurp up various nectars.
About their effect on Formosan termites I can't say. I wish 'em luck. We seem free of carpenter or joiner ants. These are the only ants we have, except pharoah's ants and an occasional crazy ant. Argentine ants are supposed to be monopolists. I would not at all be surprised if they will prove to be effective enemies of fire ants.
Orr says that phorid fly from Brazil is a specific enemy of the Argentine ant. I wouldn't risk the introduction myself.
Check him out ---
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