Ant Profile

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Acrobat Ants

Origin and Distribution

Acrobat ants are native to the United States. A number of different species are scattered throughout the country, but the largest populations live in Texas, Louisiana, West Tennessee, and Eastern and Central Arkansas.

Identification

The name "acrobat ants" comes from the fact that the worker ants turn their abdomens upright, like acrobats, when they're disturbed. The workers range in size from one-tenth to one-eighth of an inch long, depending on the species. They also vary in color, from light brown to brownish black. They have a distinct heart-shaped abdomen when viewed from above.

Biology

Acrobat ants' colonies are typically small, though some may contain thousands of workers. They can be aggressive if disturbed, and acrobat-ant species have been reported to sting or bite, especially those from large colonies. Ants from smaller colonies may be more timid. Certain species may also produce a foul odor when disturbed.

Acrobat ants form new colonies by swarming, which means ants in the reproductive stage take flight together and mate, typically from mid-May to late September.

Habits

Inside homes, acrobats do not colonize sound wood, instead preferring decayed, moisture-saturated wood that's been exposed to leaks or condensation. These ants appear on porches, eaves, and door and window frames. They may nest in wall voids, damp insulation and foam board.

Outdoors, they may nest in decaying tree stumps, dead and decaying logs, cavities in trees, and in soil under rocks. Foraging acrobat ants travel at a moderate pace in tight trails.

They feed on a wide variety of foods, including sweets and proteins. Workers also eat living and dead insects, and "honeydew" produced by sap-sucking insects like aphids.

Control

If you think acrobat ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Argentine Ants

Origin and Distribution

The Argentine ant is native to Argentina and Brazil. Experts believe it entered the United States in the late 1800s via ships transporting South American coffee.

Argentine ants are common throughout the Southeastern United States, Southern California and Hawaii. Infestations have also been reported in Arizona, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon and Washington.

Identification

Argentine ants vary in color from light to dark brown. The worker ants are about one-tenth of an inch long and the larger queens range up to a quarter-inch in length. Workers smell musty when crushed.

Biology

Argentine ants form widespread sub-colonies, each with multiple queens that comprise about 10 percent of the population. These sub-colonies interconnect, forming super-colonies with millions of ants that dominate over other ant species in the area.

Argentine queens form new colonies by mating in the nest, or by "budding," in which they and a group of workers move away from the parent nest and build a new one.

Although Argentine ants are a major nuisance pest, they cannot sting.

Habits

Argentine ants travel to and from their nests in trails that are sometimes hundreds of feet long and may contain thousands of ants. Trailing is heaviest in early morning or late afternoon.

The ants are less active when surface temperatures exceed 90°F, but may continue to trail in shaded or protected areas. Their natural food preference is "honeydew," a sweet substance produced by sap-sucking insects like aphids.

Outdoors, they commonly trail during the day along the edges of patios, driveways, sidewalks and walls. Indoors, they may appear along baseboards, cracks in floor tiles, corners of counters and under carpet edges.

Outside, Argentine ants tend to form shallow nests in moist places, such as under stones, logs, potted plants and landscape mulch, as well as along sidewalks. Argentine nests also often are found at the base of plants and trees where honeydew-producing insects live.

They may invade buildings in large numbers when conditions outside are too wet or too dry, or when there is a decrease in honeydew. To enter structures, they search for cracks, crevices or holes, utility lines, cables and wires, traveling along tree and shrub branches.

Once inside, they may crawl along utility wires and pipes in walls, searching for food and nesting sites. Indoors, these ants usually nest near a moisture source, such as in wall voids near water pipes, sinks, bathtubs or showers, or in potted plants.

Once foragers find food, sentinels go back to the nest and provide an odor trail for others to follow and join the meal. Hundreds of Argentine ants can be quickly recruited to contaminate food they find indoors. They prefer sweets like honeydew and plant secretions, or sugar, syrup and fruit juice. But they'll settle for almost anything else, including meat, eggs, oil and fat.

Control

If you think Argentine ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Big-headed Ants

Origin and Distribution

A number of different species of big-headed ants live in the United States. Not all are considered pests. Some are native to America, while others have been introduced from abroad.

For instance, one of the more common species, Pheidole megacephala, is thought to have originated in Southern Africa. Although found throughout much of the United States, big-headed ants primarily are found in warmer regions, in both arid and humid climates. They've become common pests in Central and South Florida, and are considered a major invasive pest in Hawaii.

Identification

Depending on the species, big-headed worker ants vary in color from light to dark brown, reddish brown or light yellow. The workers are dimorphic, which means they come in two sizes – minor workers and major workers.

The size range for minor and major workers varies by species. Among one common species, Pheidole megacephala, minor workers are small ants about one-tenth of an inch in length and the major workers are about one-eighth-inch long.

The minor workers' bodies are proportional, while the major workers' heart-shaped heads are disproportionately larger than the rest of the body. The minor workers are more commonly seen than the major workers.

Biology

Colony sizes among big-headed ants vary by species, and may range from several hundred to many thousands of individuals. Most species have multiple queens, although some species have single queen colonies. For example, the species Pheidole megacephala has multiple queens and can form large super colonies of interconnected nests.

These super colonies are formed primarily by "budding," a process in which queens leave the nest with a few workers to form new families. Many species of big-headed ants also form new colonies by swarming, which means ants in the reproductive stage take flight together and mate, usually in mid-summer.

Big-headed ants nest in soil, usually in protected areas such as under stones, pavers, logs or other debris. Nests are also found in potted plants, and next to and under concrete slab foundations.

Sometimes piles of soil they have excavated are found indoors along expansion joints and baseboards. Some species nest within these cracks, crevices and walls voids. Nests have also been found in rotting and termite-damaged wood inside buildings.

Habits

Big-headed ants may be seen trailing along edges of foundations, driveways, sidewalks and other structures. They may build mud tubes on foundations and other structures to protect their trails and entry areas.

People often mistake these for the mud tubes created by some termite species, but termites' tubes are sturdier.

When big-headed ants come indoors, they may trail along baseboards and under carpet edges. Big-headed ants are omnivorous, feeding on seeds, living and dead insects, and "honeydew" produced by sap-sucking insects such as aphids.

The large head and mandibles of the major workers are useful for feeding on seeds and hard exoskeletons of insects, as well as for defense. Indoors, big-headed ants will feed on fats, meats and sweets and oily foods, such as peanut butter.

Control

If you think big-headed ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Carpenter Ants

Origin and Distribution

As many as 50 species of carpenter ants live in the United States and Canada. Most are native, and depending on the species, may be found at elevations as high as 9,000 feet.

While all carpenter ants are "at home" in natural environments, many are just as comfortable inside buildings. Twenty-four of the 50 known species are structure-invading pests. Others are considered only nuisance pests, occasionally infesting structures. Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but rather excavate it to accommodate their nests.

Common structure-invading carpenter-ant species include:

Eastern United States

• Camponotus pennsylvanicus (C. pennsylvanicus): Commonly known as the black carpenter ant, this species nests exclusively in wood, and is the principal structural-pest ant in the Eastern and Central regions.

Southeastern United States

• C. floridanus and C. tortuganus: C. floridanus, known as the Florida Carpenter Ant, is common throughout that state, with its range extending into other Southeastern states. C. tortuganus is found in South Florida, where it is considered a common household pest. Both species do little excavation or structural damage to sound wood, but nest in already damaged wood and existing structural voids. They can be seen foraging in and around structures.

Northern and Western United States

• C. novaboracensis and C. herculeanus: C. novaboracensis, also known as the New York carpenter ant, is found throughout the Northern United States but is more common east of the Dakotas. It is also found in many Western states, extending south into New Mexico. Although considered a common structural pest in certain regions, it's only a nuisance pest in others. C. herculeanus, although rare in North Dakota and non-forested regions, can be found in Northeastern states and in many Western states, including Alaska. It is considered the second most common structure-infesting species in Minnesota.

Western United States

• C. modoc and C. vicinus: In Western states, two species that commonly infest structures are C. modoc, also known as the Western black carpenter ant, and C. vicinus. C. modoc is the principle structural pest in the Western United States and C. vicinus, is second only to C. modoc as a structural pest in Washington state.

Identification

Most carpenter ant species are polymorphic. This means that workers in a colony may vary in size. For example, workers of the common black carpenter ant species (C. pennsylvanicus) range in size from one-quarter inch to a half-inch long. In contrast, workers of C. herculeanus range in size from an eighth-inch to a third of an inch in length.

Color varies by species. Some are primarily black or brown, while others have variations of black and red, or black and yellow-brown. Below are the size ranges and colors of workers among the more common carpenter ant pest species. But to confirm an ant's exact identity, homeowners should rely on a trained professional who will use a scientific key and microscope.

• C. pennsylvanicus (black carpenter ant): Overall dull black in color with pale yellow or light hairs. Workers range in size from a quarter-inch to a half-inch in length.
• C. floridanus (Florida carpenter ant): Head, thorax and petiole are reddish to orange with a black gaster (stomach). Workers range from one-fifth to a half-inch long.
• C. tortuganus: Similar to C. floridanus but paler with less contrast in color. Workers range from a quarter-inch to three-eighths inch in length.
• C. novaboracensis (New York carpenter ant): Brownish black head and gaster and red to yellowish red thorax. Workers range from three-sixteenths of an inch to three-eighths of an inch in length.
• C. herculeanus: Body mostly black with rear of thorax, petiole and legs dark red. Workers range from one-eighth to one-third-inch long.
• C. modoc (Western black carpenter ant): Similar in coloration to C. pennsylvanicus (common black carpenter ant) except legs are dark reddish in color. Workers range from one-fifth to a half-inch in length.
• C. vicinus: Variable in color with most common variation having a black head, gaster and legs and a red thorax. Workers range in size from quarter-inch to half-inch in length.

Biology

Mature carpenter ant colonies produce male and female swarmers (ants with wings) that spend their winters in nests and take flight in the spring. The timing and numbers of flights within a season varies by species.

New colonies form when a fertilized queen, fresh from her mating flight, finds a suitable site to excavate a small nest chamber where she begins laying eggs. This site may be on the ground under wood debris, fallen logs or landscaping timbers, or under loose bark, in decayed wood or cavities in trees (living or dead).

The ants also build new nests inside wood that's touching the ground or is moisture damaged. With some exceptions, most carpenter ant species have one queen per colony.

Once the first workers hatch from eggs, they begin the tasks of nest excavation, foraging for food, and caring for the new brood and the queen. The nest will grow slowly over several years, expanding into surrounding dead and damaged wood. It may take six to 10 years before new swarmers are produced.

As a colony develops, carpenter ants create nests that are connected to the parent nest by trails traveled by workers. The satellite nests contain workers, older brood (no eggs or young larvae) and sometimes swarmers, but the queen remains in the parent nest.

Satellite nests are more apt to be found in buildings than parent nests, and are often found under insulation, and in wall voids, attics or crawl spaces. The numbers of satellite nests a parent colony may have varies by species. Some species may only have a few, if any, while others, such as C. modoc may have as many as 20.

Numerous satellite nests may make controlling carpenter ants difficult.

The number of workers inside carpenter ant colonies varies by species. The average size colony for most species may be 3,000 to 6,000 workers, but some species (C. modoc and C. vicinus) can have up to 100,000 workers. As with all ants, workers may move a colony to a more suitable site when conditions become unfavorable.

Habits

As a rule, carpenter ants forage mostly at night, though some species may forage in daytime as well. In their search for food and other resources, carpenter ants develop trails linking their nests and feeding sites. They may use these same trails year after year and they can extend for hundreds of feet.

Depending on the species, trails may be above or below ground, and surface trails may sometimes be covered with debris, creating a protective canopy.

Carpenter ants commonly use tree branches and utility wires to access homes and other buildings, and their trails can be seen on edges of lawns, pavement, foundations, landscape timbers and even garden hoses. Indoors, carpenter ants may be seen trailing along edges of cabinets, floors and furniture.

Other signs of a carpenter ant infestation can be small piles of "sawdust" produced by their nest excavations. These piles also contain bits of dead ants and other insects.

If bits of insulation foam are visible in the piles, this may be a sign that the ants are nesting in the buildings insulation. Carpenter ants also nest in structural voids, such as under insulation in attics, basements and crawlspaces.

Then there are the odd places, such as inside ceiling light fixtures, under and behind dish washers, and inside boxes in attics and basements.

If left undisturbed, carpenter ants can wreak extensive destruction to wood, depending on the species and the degree of the infestation. They are the principle structural pest in Northern states. In the Pacific Northwest and Northeastern United States, carpenter ants can be as destructive as termites.

The galleries they create in wood have a smooth, sandpapered appearance, and are free of mud, pellets or powdered frass (excrement). If mud, pellets or powdered frass are present in the galleries, other wood-damaging insects like termites or beetles are likely to blame.

Carpenter ants feed on a wide variety of foods, including their natural sources such as "honeydew" produced by aphids and other plant-sucking insects. They also eat plant secretions and other insects. In and around structures, they feed on many different kinds of foods, including sweets such as candy, syrup, soda pop, fruits, pastries and pet food.

Their food preferences may change over the course of a season, meaning that treating them with bait-type insecticides may not be effective if the bait food is not attractive.

Control

If you think carpenter ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Crazy Ants

Origin and Distribution

Crazy ants, originally from the Old World tropics, are a common pest in Puerto Rico, Florida and other Gulf coast states, as well as Southern Arizona. Reports of infestations throughout the rest of the United States are sporadic, and arise primarily after ants are introduced in shipments of goods such as in the soil of tropical potted plants.

In cooler, Northern climates, infestations are confined to indoor areas – where they can be persistent.

Identification

Workers from crazy ant colonies are uniformly reddish dark brown to black, and are all about an eighth of an inch long.

Upon close inspection, they have noticeably longer legs and antennae than other ants their same size. Crazy ants generally have loose, unorganized trails, and when disturbed, run erratically with no apparent direction – thus their "crazy" ant common name.

Biology

Colonies of crazy ants are relatively small, with multiple queens and a few thousand workers. In favorable environments, such as Florida, larger colonies containing tens of thousands of ants may be linked together by foraging trails.

Nests can be found in both wet and dry soil, or under objects on the ground, such as potted plants, landscaping timbers, firewood, and piles of debris. They may also live next to foundations in landscaping mulch and thick vegetation.

Above-ground nesting sites include gutters clogged with debris and the undersides of gravel on flat roofs. Once inside, the ants may nest in structural voids, including walls, under carpeting, and under and between undisturbed items stored on floors. Indoor nests may also be found in indoor planters and potted plants.

Although winged ants are produced in crazy ant colonies, it is not clear whether new colonies are formed from mating flights. Most likely, new colonies are produced by "budding," where queens and workers leave a parent nest to begin a new one.

Habits

Crazy ants feed on natural foods including living and dead insects, and on "honeydew" produced by plant-sucking insects (aphids, scales). Crazy ants are also attracted to human foods that are greasy and/or sweet. The ants can quickly and completely cover food they find.

Foraging trails of crazy ants are often disorganized and therefore not very apparent, but they may be more visible when the ants follow the edges of structures. Trails may be hundreds of feet long, which make locating nest sites difficult.

Indoor foragers often come from outdoor nests. They may access buildings by traveling on the ground, or over branches and vegetation touching the structure. They then enter through areas such as weep holes, and exterior cracks and crevices around windows and doors. Indoors, they may be seen foraging along baseboards and carpet edges.

Control

If you think crazy ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Ghost Ants

Origin and Distribution

Ghost ants (a.k.a. black-headed ants) originated in the Old World tropics. They are common pests in Central and South Florida, and in Puerto Rico. Infestations have been reported in other Southeastern states, as well as Southeast Texas, Hawaii and sporadically in California and the Pacific Northwest.

Plant shipments from Florida may have been responsible for many localized infestations in greenhouses, zoos and other places across the nation. People traveling from Florida may also be responsible for transporting ghost ants to other locations.

In northern, colder climates these ants need a heated environment to survive.

Identification

Ghost ants are small, ranging in size from one-twentieth to one-fourteenth of an inch in length. Their head and thorax are dark, and their abdomen and legs are light colored, almost translucent. This coloration and their small size make them hard to see – earning them the "ghost" moniker.

Like other ants in the genus Tapinoma (i.e., odorous house ant), ghost ant workers smell distinctly like rotten coconuts when they are crushed.

Biology

Ghost ant colonies have multiple queens and populations may be moderate to large in size (100 to 1,000 individuals). A colony may actually be made up of a group of sub-colonies occupying a variety of sites and linked by workers following odor trails. New colonies are produced by "budding," where reproductive queens and workers leave one nest to start a new one in another location.

Habits

Outside, ghost ants nest in areas such as tree cavities, under loose bark, at the base of palm fronds, in flowerpots, and in and under firewood and other objects on the ground. They also nest in soil and under debris next to foundations, planters, trees and shrubs. The workers are often seen moving quickly along narrow odor trails that follow edges of buildings and landscaping.

They invade homes and other buildings from trails hidden behind vegetation along the base of foundations, and via branches of trees and shrubs that touch structures. The ants get inside through cracks and crevices around doors, windows, soffits and utility pipes.

Foragers are often seen indoors on sinks, counters and floors of kitchens and bathrooms, but they also travel elsewhere indoors.

They often move through a building via plumbing lines and wires in wall voids and under edges of carpeting. Their indoor nests can be in wall voids, between and behind cabinets, in potted plants brought indoors and in almost any protected area.

Nests have even been found in spaces between books, folded clothes and behind loose edges of wallpaper.

Ghost ants will feed on "honeydew" secreted from sap-sucking insects like aphids and also scavenge for dead insects. Indoors, they are attracted to sweets and protein foods, and may infest food packages.

Control

If you think ghost ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professionalfor an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Odorous House Ants

Origin and Distribution

Odorous house ants have gained the reputation as one of the most common pests inside buildings in the United States. They are native to North America, and live in a wide variety of habitats, from sea level to 11,000 feet.

These ants are a common structural pest in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and the lower Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states.

Identification

Odorous house ant workers are uniformly brown to black in color. They range in size from one-sixteenth of an inch to one-eighth inch in length. Within a colony, the workers are all the same size (monomorphic).

When workers are crushed, they emit an odor that smells like rotten coconuts.

Biology

Colonies of odorous house ants contain multiple queens. Nest populations range from a few thousand ants to tens of thousands of ants. New colonies can be formed by winged male and female ants (swarmers, alates) after they mate in the nest, or after a nuptial flight.

They also form new colonies by "budding," in which one or more queens, workers and their brood leave one nest to start a new one. As outdoor populations grow, multiple nest sites can be interconnected by foraging trails to form super colonies that cover large areas.

Their outdoor nests can be found in almost any shady, moist and protected area, such as under rocks or within stacked lumber. Indoor nests can be found in wet areas, such as bath traps, under toilets, in wall voids near hot water pipes or heaters, and in crevices around sinks and cupboards.

Habits

Odorous house ants are strong foragers, with hundreds of ants trailing between nests and food sources. They trail and forage both day and night, temperatures permitting. Indoors, where temperatures remain relatively warm, they can be active year round. Outdoors, they can forage in temperatures as low as 50° Fahrenheit.

When weather conditions turn unfavorable or food isn’t readily available outside, these ants may move inside to find what they need.

Like many trailing ants, odorous house ant trails follow the outlines of structures. They can be seen on trees, edges of sidewalks and driveways and at the base of foundations. They invade buildings by climbing tree branches and shrubs, and entering through cracks and crevices. Inside, their trails can be seen along baseboards, carpet edges and near food sources such as pet bowls.

Odorous house ants are omnivores, feeding on dead insects, small dead animals such as lizards, and on "honeydew," a favorite food produced by plant-sucking insects (aphids, scales). Indoors, they prefer sweets but will forage on other foods.

Control

If you think odorous house ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Pavement Ants

Origin and Distribution

Experts disagree on the origin of pavement ants. Some believe they came from Europe or Asia, while others think these ants may be native to North America. They are commonly found across the Eastern United States, the Midwest, and parts of Southern California, Washington and Nevada.

Identification

Pavement ant workers within a colony are approximately one-tenth of an inch in length. They are dark brown in color and the workers are uniform in size. This ant’s best identifying characteristic is its grooved head and thorax, though these numerous grooves can only be seen with magnification.

These ants seldom bite or sting, and are not considered a medical pest. However, they can become severe nuisance pests because of their habits and potential large numbers.

Biology

Pavement ants are appropriately named because they commonly nest near or in pavement cracks, along curbing or in soil beneath stones. Pavement ant nests also can be found outdoors under logs, boards, cardboard, firewood, bricks, pavers, patios, etc. These ants can also nest in mulch and landscaping beds.

When in soil, their nest openings will be shaped in the form of a small crater. During winter months, nests may be more common near heating sources such as sub-slabs.

Colonies of pavement ants can contain thousands of workers and multiple queens. Pavement ant colonies produce and maintain brood (eggs, larvae and pupae). Often, brood can be seen being carried by the ants along the trails.

Pavement ant colonies can swarm multiple times during the year, but most swarms occur during spring. Unfortunately, these ants may swarm around the same time as subterranean termites, leading to confusion in identifying them.

Pest control professionals or county and state extension specialists can positively identify swarming pavement ants, which have grooves on their heads and thoraxes. If flying pavement ants are found inside, it is important to check the soil around a structure’s foundation for nests.

Habits

Pavement ants travel in heavy trails to and from food. They may enter buildings through slab cracks, weep holes, poorly sealed thresholds and windowsills. Once inside, these ants can be found trailing along baseboards and under carpet near walls. To help determine their entry points, look under carpet near exterior walls and check for slab cracks or joints.

Pavement ants eat a wide variety of foods, such as dead insects, greases, sweets, plant saps and seeds. Sweets can include "honeydew," which is secreted by plant-eating insects like aphids.

Indoors, these ants feed on meats, nuts, cheeses, honey and bread. Sometimes they prefer meats and greases. They’re also attracted to pet food.

Control

If you think pavement ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Pharaoh Ants

Origin and Distribution

Pharaoh ants originated in tropical Africa, but humans have spread them to regions worldwide through travel and commerce. They are most common in the Southern states, but can be found anywhere in the United States.

They struggle to survive in colder temperatures, so outdoor colonies generally are found in subtropical areas of Florida, Hawaii and Texas. In the Northern states, indoor populations are most common in commercial sites (apartments, hotels, hospitals, etc.). They are easily carried from one location to another along with household goods and in commercial shipments.

Identification

Pharaoh ants are golden yellow to red in color, with black markings on the top of the gaster (the enlarged section of the abdomen). They are very small ants, about one-sixteenth to one-twelfth of an inch in length, and all the workers are the same size. They travel in narrow trails at a relatively slow pace.

Pharaoh ants can be easily confused with thief ants. A pest control professional or county or state extension specialist can provide a positive identification.

Biology

Pharaoh colonies can be large (up to 300,000 ants), with multiple queens – creating a high reproductive capacity. Because they often hide in inaccessible areas, nests can be difficult to find.

Pharaoh ants like to nest in warm and moist spots, both indoors and out. Inside, nests may be found in kitchens, bathrooms, heating pipes, radiators, sinks, drains, vanities and toilets. Pharaoh ant also settle in wall voids, behind baseboards, in curtain rods, boxes, sacks, outlets, spigots, newspapers, etc.

Pharaoh ant colonies are mobile, and the queens and workers will form satellite colonies because of overcrowding, unfavorable temperature, inadequate food availability or the presence of repellent materials (cleaners, bleaches, certain repellent insecticides, etc.).

This "budding" behavior can lead to heavy populations of ants with multiple, separate colonies within homes and structures. The new colonies do not have to be connected to the parent colony.

Pharaoh ant colonies produce winged kings and queens (swarmers) but they seldom fly. If swarming ants are seen in a structure, they are almost certainly not pharaoh ants. Almost all their reproduction occurs within the nest.

Habits

Pharaoh ants are trailing ants, but because they are small, their trails can be hard to find. They are mainly active at night, but also can be found trailing during the day.

When temperatures are warm enough, indoor pharaoh ant colonies may forage outside. Outdoors trails can be found along fences, porches, windowsills, doorways, and along the edges of bricks and siding. Trails can also be found along gutters and roof shingles.

In Southern states, pharaoh ant may move from structure to structure. Indoor infestations in subtropical environments may originate from outdoors, and trails may connect inside and outside nests, although they are not always connected.

Ants may use wires and pipes in the walls as "highways" to travel throughout the structure. Sometimes they are seen entering a room from electrical outlets and switches.

Pharaoh ants are omnivores, feeding on fats, simple proteins and sweet foods. Examples include syrups, jellies, cakes, fruit pies, greases, shoe polish, sponges, etc. They also eat dead insects and other animals. Traditionally, mint apple jelly and egg yolks have been used successfully as baits for these ants.

Control

If you think pharaoh ants have infested your home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Red Imported Fire Ants

Origin and Distribution

Several fire ant species live in the United States, some of native origin and others introduced from other parts of the world. They include the black imported fire ant the red imported fire ant (origin: South America), and the tropical fire ant and the Southern fire ant (native).

The red imported fire ant is by far the most significant pest because of it aggressive nature and potentially deadly sting, and so will be described in the most depth.

Red imported fire ants originated in the lowlands of Brazil, and were introduced into the United States between 1933 and 1945 though the port of Mobile, Ala., most likely through imported soil.

They have spread to other parts of Alabama, as well as Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Puerto Rico. They are occasionally found in Arizona, Kentucky and Virginia.

The arid environment of Western Texas and cold Northern climates impedes their spread westward and northward, but outbreaks in uninfested states may occur if the ants are shipped in the soil of nursery plants and other materials.

They can potentially spread anywhere that average minimum temperatures are above 10°F and annual rainfall is greater than 10 inches – or in irrigated areas. Federal quarantines have been put in place at times to restrict the movement of infested materials such as soil, sod, potted plants and hay to uninfested areas.

Identification

By far the most notable characteristic of red imported fire ants is their stinging behavior. People, pets and other animals unknowingly disturb their mounds and are quickly covered with stinging ants.

Over 40 million people live in areas infested by the red imported fire ant in the Southeastern United States. An estimated 14 million people are stung annually.

Deaths have occurred either from allergic reactions to the venom or when people are stung multiple times and don’t quickly receive medical aid.

The venom of red imported fire ants is unique in the insect world because it produces an immediate and painful stinging, burning sensation. Later, white pustules will form on the skin at the site of the sting.

Workers of red imported fire ants are polymorphic, which means a single colony will contain workers of different sizes ranging from one-eighth inch to a quarter inch in length.

They appear an almost uniform dark reddish brown in color, but closer inspection reveals a darker shiny gaster (stomach). People often recognize red imported fire ants simply by the dome-shaped mounds they build and the protective behavior of workers, who will pour out of mounds if they are disturbed, and will attack and sting intruders.

Biology

As with all ants, the life cycle of red imported fire ants includes egg, larval, pupal and adult stages – known as complete metamorphosis.

Mature colonies produce thousands of winged male and female swarmers (called alates) that may swarm several times during a year from spring to fall. In their mating flights, swarmers may reach heights of several hundred feet and disperse over several miles.

New queens land, lose their wings and typically tunnel into soil to start new colonies. Sometimes many queens can be seen clustered together in cracks and crevices on the ground or under objects before starting their nests.

These ants typically build nests in sunny areas of exposed soil or lawns, or next to structural elements on the ground, such as concrete, pavement, tree bases, fence posts, air conditioners or utility-service boxes. Infested electrical equipment can be damaged and lead to short circuits.

A typical nest is a dome-shaped mound sometimes as large as 18 inches tall and two feet in diameter, although mound structure will vary somewhat by soil type. Some nests may have no obvious mound, such as those in mulched areas. Sometimes, the tops of mounds are removed by lawn mowers.

Queens may also land on buildings with flat roofs, sometimes many stories high, and start colonies that infest the building from the top down. Indoor nests may be in wall voids, bath traps, under carpets and in crawl spaces.

Depending on the region, red imported fire ant colonies may have a single queen (monogyne) or multiple queens (polygyne). Where single queen colonies occur, the density of mounds tends to be lower (30-40 per acre) because of the workers’ territorial nature. Where multiple queen colonies occur, the workers are not territorial and hundreds of mounds can occur within an acre.

Queens can lay hundreds of eggs a day and a mature colony containing 200,000 to 300,000 workers can develop within a year or two. Once a mature colony has been established, swarmers are produced to begin the cycle once again.

In multiple-queen colonies, new nests may also be created by "budding," in which queens, workers and brood leave one nest to start a new one.

Habits

Red imported fire ants may quickly move their whole colony if conditions are unfavorable or if the mound is disturbed. It is not uncommon to see mounds pop up within a few feet of a mound that was poorly treated with ineffective insecticide or pesticide.

Red imported fire ant workers are voracious foragers that exploit many different food sources. Their trails may lead from the nest to visible food sources on the ground, such as sweets, oils and dead insects.

Trails may lead into structures from the ground up, sometimes several stories high or from the roof down if nests are located on flat roofs. Workers also are often seen trailing along driveways, sidewalks, street curbs, patios and along foundation walls.

Where their numbers are high, red imported fire ants may negatively affect local animal diversity. Other ant species, invertebrates and vertebrates – such as ground-nesting birds – suffer and are sometimes killed off by infestations of the red imported fire ant.

These ants may also attack and kill livestock, especially poultry, and can even damage certain crops. Their nesting behavior can damage electrical equipment, such as air conditioners and utility service boxes, as well as roadways and airport runways where the ants may cause potholes.

Control

If you think imported red fire ants have infested your property or home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options , because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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Thief Ants

Origin and Distribution

Thief ants are a group of closely related native ant species that are common across the United States.

Identification

Thief ant workers are small – about one-sixteenth of an inch in length – and their color is pale yellow to dark brown. Queens are larger at a quarter-inch.

These ants can be easily confused with pharaoh ants, which also are quite small and found in buildings. A pest control professional or a county or state extension agent can offer a positive identification.

Biology

Thief ants are aptly named because they commonly nest near or even within the nests of other ant species. They can steal both food and the immature brood ants (larvae and pupae) from other ant species.

Outside, thief ant nests can be found in open soil, or under landscaping, pots, boards, bricks, stones, trash, wood, or in tree cavities.

Inside buildings, nests can be found in small cracks and crevices of woodwork and masonry.

Thief ants can spread by swarming through mating flights. Colonies may have multiple mating flights in a year. They can also spread by splitting or "budding" a colony into two or more separate ones without using a mating flight.

Habits

Thief ants may be seen trailing near doors and windows. To gain access to buildings, they use tree branches and shrubs against the buildings to climb onto structures.

Once inside, thief ant scouts wander within the structure, looking for food. Once food is located, thief ants establish trails to the source.

These ants show a preference for high protein foods such as larvae and eggs of other ants, dead insects, dead rodents and various seeds. They also feed on honeydew (the sweet secretions produced by plant-eating insects like aphids), as well as fruits, breads, animal fats, oils, nuts and dairy products.

Because thief ants are so small, they can easily crawl into packaged foods. They can be found inside closets and cabinets, along baseboards, along sinks and on windowsills and walls.

Control

If you think thief ants have infested your property or home, it's imperative that you contact a certified, licensed pest management professional for an inspection. Be sure to inform your pest management professional about any structural leaks or moisture problems.

Experts advise against do-it-yourself options, because a trained set of eyes is required to identify the exact species and recommend effective treatment options. An improper do-it-yourself treatment may kill a few ants, while the rest of the colony simply relocates to other places around and inside your home.

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