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Common ant species
While a majority of ant species prefer sunny climates, any environment is perfect for ants to thrive. Out of around 15,000 species and subspecies worldwide, North America has close to 1,000 known species. Learn about the most familiar types of ants in the U.S., which includes:
Argentine ant
(Linepithema humile)
Appearance
- Length: 1/16" - 1/4"
- Color: Dark brown to black and shiny
Lifestyle and habits of the argentine ant
Lifecycle
- Produced in spring and increase in numbers up until autumn
- Winged ants (reproductive kings and queens) mature within three months and mate soon afterward
- Mate in their nest so no swarming is seen
Habits
- Follow food trails for long distances so nests are not easy to track
- Prefer sweet foods but will also eat live and dead insects, meats, cereals and damaged fruit
- Drive out other ant species from an area
- Bite – do not sting
Black house ant
(Ochetellus)
Appearance
- Length: 1/16”
- Color: Typically jet black
Lifestyle and habits of the black house ant
Lifecycle
- Larva hatches out of the egg as a white grub
- Adults emerge with the three defined body sections: head, thorax and abdomen
- The length of time between the egg stage and adult can take 6+ weeks, depending on factors such as the temperature and the availability of food
- Fertilized eggs become female, unfertilized become males
Habits
- Regarded as a nuisance and scavenge in kitchens, garbage, and dog excrement, therefore potentially spreading diseases such as salmonella
- Feed on oil, grease, meat, fruits, vegetables, and sweets
- Forage in trails, often along sidewalks
Carpenter ant
(Camponotus pennsylvanicus)
Appearance
- Length: 5/8"
- Color: Red, black, or a combination
Life cycle and habits of the carpenter ant
Lifecycle
- Swarms appear in the spring
- Colonies of carpenter ants can live from 3-6 years
Habits
- Live in both moist and dry wood, but prefer moist, especially wood dampened by water leaks
- Excavate galleries in wood
- Primarily active from dusk to dawn
- Do not eat wood - they are attracted to sweet substances, fats, grease, and meats
- Cannot sting/bite
Fire ant
(Solenopsis spp)
- Red imported fire ant (solenopsis invicta) - Can be found in Virginia and south through Florida; particularly destructive to vegetation and can build giant colonies of over 100,000 members; forms a ball to float through floodwaters
- Southern fire ant (solenopsis xyloni) - Southern fire ants are active across the southern border of the U.S. from California to northern Florida; mounds can be found near trees; prey on other pests, but are still considered a threat to humans due to their capacity to sting and damage properties
Appearance
- Length: ⅛”-⅜”
- Color: dark reddish brown
Life cycle and habits of the fire ant
Lifecycle
- After mating, the queen searches for a suitable spot to lay her eggs (up to 125) in late spring
- Larvae hatch within 8 to 10 days, and the pupal stage lasts for 9 to 16 days
- Larvae feed on secretions from the queen’s salivary glands and broken down wing muscles until the first worker ants emerge. After this first batch of larvae molt into workers the queen’s role returns to egg laying – she can lay up to 1500 per day. Worker ants continue with larval care, nest building and food foraging.
- Fertile males are produced later in the season
Habits
- Foraging workers diet consists of dead animals, including insects, earthworms, and vertebrates; also collect honeydew and forage for sweet food, proteins, and fats
- Build large mound nests, often near landscaping or structural foundations
- If aggravated, they react aggressively and can inflict a painful sting
- Major agricultural and urban pest, destroying crops and invading residential areas
- Very small, so it is easy for them to get inside through any hole in an exterior wall or cracks in siding or HVAC systems
- Don’t require much soil to exist, but they do require a moisture source; fire ants can end up in places such as rooftops and wall voids
Ghost ant
(Tapinoma melanocephalum)
Appearance
- Length: about 1/16”
- Color: Pale/translucent legs and abdomen with a dark brown head and thorax
Life cycle and habits of the ghost ant
Life Cycle
- Continuous breeding colonies.
Habits
- Feed on sweet substances and grease
- Nesting indoors: small spaces, wall voids; outdoors: in flowerpots, under objects on the ground, under loose bark
- Attracted to high moisture areas; can be found in kitchen and bathroom cabinets
- Cannot sting
Odorous house ant
(Tapinoma sessile)
Appearance
- Length: 1/16" - 1/8"
- Color: Brown or black
Life cycle and habits of the odorous house ant
Lifecycle
- Time to adult phase of development is 34-38 days
- Typically live for several years
- Live in large colonies with one or even two queens
Habits
- Eat most household foods, especially sugary food like sweets and fruit, and will also eat pet food
- Attracted to moisture; in hot, dry environments nests can be found in house plants and even lids of toilets
- Produce a coconut smell when crushed
- Colonies range in size from 100-10,000
- Do not typically bite
Pavement ant
(Tetramorium caespitum)
Appearance
- Length: 1/8"
- Color: Dark brown or blackish
Life cycle and habits of the pavement ant
Life Cycle
- Visible spring and summer.
- Have been known to emerge any time of the year in heated structures.
Habits
- Eat almost anything that humans eat, and also pet food
- Seen entering houses looking for food, most often at night; may move through pipes and electrical wires
- Nest in lawns or under stones, wood, or boards; build mounds along sidewalks, baseboards, and near foundations in clusters
- Colonies found near water
Pharaoh ant
(Monomorium pharaonis)
Appearance
- Length: 1/16”
- Color: Pale yellowish or reddish body with dark abdomen
Life cycle and habits of the Pharaoh ant
Life Cycle
- Each queen produces up to 3,500 eggs in its lifetime
- Multi-queen colonies
- Swarming can take place at any time of the year
- Winged adults seldom fly so rarely seen; wings are soon lost after mating
Habits
- Leave behind well–defined trails, often near heating systems
- Feeds indoors on high protein foods — meat, fats, blood, dead insects, etc.
- New colonies are often formed through nests that have been disturbed (e.g., as a result of insecticide spray treatments)
- Nest in cavities in heated buildings with access to food and water
- Colonies can range from a few dozen to 300,000
Dealing with ant infestations?
Ant control solutions are everywhere, but that doesn’t mean they’re effective. Each ant colony can hold up to half a million ants, and without the help of a professional, they can be tough to tackle. The best thing you can do on your own is to keep things clean. Garbage and food remains are very attractive to ants.
Ehrlich specialists have the expertise to understand the habits of each ant species and will provide your best defense against ant infestations. You can rest assured knowing that our highly qualified technicians will offer a tailored ant treatment plan that is safe for your family and pets.