Pharaoh Ant

Category:

Actual Size: 1/16″ to ⅛”

Characteristics: Small; typically light yellow to red, with black markings on the abdomen. 

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: No

Habitat: Nests are often located in inaccessible spots near moisture, such as kitchens, bathrooms, interior wall voids, under floors, and behind baseboards.

Habits:

  • Attracted to moisture and will nest in inaccessible areas.
  • Relies on artificial heating in homes and commercial buildings to survive.
  • Potentially dangerous in hospitals due to their ability to transmit disease organisms.

Pharoah Ants in Alburquerque NM

Pharaoh ants are one of the most persistent and difficult ants to control. Throughout the Alburquerque area, they construct enormous colonies with up to several million workers and thousands of queens. Pharaoh ants are an invasive species, outnumbering and forcing native ants out of the area. When Pharaoh ant colonies are disturbed, they can splinter off, creating new colonies. Due to their splintering ability, Pharoah ants can rapidly expand throughout homes and businesses.  Sweets, proteins, and live or dead insects are favorite foods of Pharaoh ants.

 Pharaoh Ant Habitat

Foraging day and night, Pharaoh ants are attracted to moisture, constructing nests in shaded areas or under debris. In households, Pharaoh ant nests are often located in hard-to-reach spaces near moisture, such as kitchens, and bathrooms. They have also been found in paper, clothing, bed linens, behind baseboards and wall and cabinet voids. Visually, trails of ants can be seen near water or food sources, however, their nest may not be nearby. In hospitals and food-processing facilities, they invade kitchens, laundries, boiler rooms, heating ducts, and pipes. Pharaoh ants trail from room to room using electrical wires and plumbing pipes, which allows them to spread throughout a structure swiftly.

Pharaoh Ant Behaviors, Threats or Dangers

Implicated in the spread of more than a dozen disease pathogens, Pharaoh ants are known to spread streptococcus and salmonella. In institutional and hospital settings, they can have an adverse effect on patients, guests of patients, and hospital staff by contaminating food and food prep surfaces in cafeterias. These tiny ants can access almost any space, spoiling food as they forage. Unfortunately, most conventional household pest control treatments do not work to control Pharaoh ants. If a Pharaoh ant infestation is suspected, it is recommended to contact a licensed ant exterminator. 

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