Ants, Ants, and More Ants: The Most Common Ants that are Pests

Ants are one of the most common pests in the U.S., and there are so many species. Many behave similarly, as they all prioritize taking care of the colony and the queen above all else. While all types can be treated by pest control, it’s helpful to know the differences between the most common ants in order to determine the steps to take to get them out of your home. Let’s ant-alyze the most common species!

Carpenter Ants

These pests behave similarly to termites since they also burrow in wood and can inflict thousands of dollars in damages to a home. Carpenter ants get their food, like aphids, outside of their nests, but they burrow homes in dark, enclosed places like crawlspaces, attics, insulation, and wood. They even prefer moist and decaying wood, similar to termites.

They are usually a combination of red and black and are mainly nocturnal. These pests don’t actively seek out humans to attack, but their painful bite is a good reason to stay away from these pests. Any infestation is a good reason to call pest control, but carpenter ants require an immediate call before they inflict too much damage on the house.

Citronella Ants (Yellow Ants)

Citronella ants got their name from the lemony citronella scent that’s dispersed when they are squished. They are also referred to as yellow ants because the workers are a light yellow color, while the others are darker brown. They have a very specific diet of honeydew from aphids, so these insects usually don’t attempt to get inside houses.

These pests are most often found when digging in the dirt. They’re found around the foundation of a home, or in the hidden parts of rocks, logs, and lawns. They become a problem only when they swarm, which lasts for a few days. The pests are best treated by using repellants rather than bait due to their strict diets. 

Crazy Ants

Appropriately named, crazy ants move very chaotically and quickly on their own trails that don’t use normal pheromones. This makes them a chore to catch and kill, as you can imagine. They aren’t bound to the immediate areas around their nests for food, so they will travel quite a ways in search of good food.

These crazy pests are black or brown and have longer back legs that allow them to run so erratically. They are scavengers and omnivores, meaning they will eat anything from other insects to fruits to sweets. You may think with a name like “crazy ants” that they would be aggressive and unpredictable, but they don’t bite humans very often, and the pain from their bite doesn’t last for long. 

Fire Ants

Thankfully, fire ants prefer the open spaces of the great outdoors, but they can still become pests if they decide that your yard is prime real estate. They’re only aggressive when their nest is disturbed or stepped on. Their name not only applies to their vivid red color, but also to the fiery pain from their sting when they attack.

They need to live near moisture, so lawns and landscaping that regularly receive water are their favorite residential areas to live. They infest many areas very quickly, so eliminating one fire ant nest does not necessarily guarantee that the pests are gone. These pests often require pesticides made specifically for them, as they can resist the general insecticides very well.

Odorous House Ants

Both these and pavement ants are lumped into the category of “sugar ant,” which is any small ant that’s found in kitchens and naturally drawn to sugar. Odorous house ants are the prime suspect of an infestation inside the home. Since each colony has multiple homes and queens, they can be more flexible with the location of each nest. Their favorite locations include under or inside wood, stones, debris, mulch, walls, insulation, flooring, pipes, and the nests of other animals.

Their main focus is vegetation and food, so they usually find their way inside homes by following the trail of any plant or tree that comes in contact with the house itself. This is why it is important to keep all landscaping trimmed back from the home, since many pests can easily walk along the vegetation to the house if they are touching. 

Since these pests have multiple homes within each colony, it’s important to find all of the nests. Eliminating one is not eliminating all of the pests in the area. Odorous house ants thankfully don’t bite, sting, or cause damage to a house, but they quickly become pests due to the sheer number of them that can exist in one small area. 

Pavement Ants

As stated earlier, pavement ants are often confused with the odorous house variety since they both gravitate towards the kitchen and sugary substances. They also have multiple queens and nests underground within one colony. These pests got their name from their ability to burrow in the dirt underneath concrete layouts such as driveways, sidewalks, and patios.

These pests are recognized for their two spines that look like small bumps between their thorax and abdomen. They are brownish-black and are found all across America. They don’t sting humans unless a person is standing on their nest. Spraying them inside the home won’t solve anything since more will arrive to replace the workers who were killed.  

Thief Ants

The source of the thief ant’s name is pretty obvious. They steal from other ant colonies, specifically food and eggs. Thief ants prefer nesting in dark, tight spaces that are far from humans, like inside walls or under concrete. They are yellow or brownish in color, and are very small, usually only maxing out at three millimeters in length.

These insects are also referred to as “grease ants,” since they’re drawn to greasy foods and smells. Bait that has some form of grease on it is usually effective for this reason. Pest control is required to completely eliminate these pests since their nests are so well hidden, allowing their numbers to multiply quickly without warning. 

Pest Control Works on All Ants

No matter what type of ant you may find in or around the house, it is a good call to contact pest control if there is a sign of infestation. Small traps and homemade remedies may stop some of the pests from wanting to come inside, but pest control is equipped to handle the seemingly endless hordes of ants marching in your home. Contact us for a free quote today!

Citations

Ardoin, J. (2021, September 13). What are the different types of ants? Lawn Love. Available at https://lawnlove.com/blog/what-are-the-different-types-of-ants/ (Accessed on February 24, 2022).

Hansen, Dr. L.D. (2012, September 6). The three most common ant species. Pest World. Available at https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/guest-columnists/the-three-most-common-ant-species/ (Accessed on February 24, 2022).

Lupo, L.J. (2021, December 8). 9 types of ants (and how to get rid of them). The Spruce. Available at https://www.thespruce.com/getting-rid-of-ants-at-home-2656296 (Accessed on February 24, 2022).