Ant Identification

Actual Size: 2.5 to 4 mm

Characteristics: Light brown to black; heart-shaped abdomen when viewed from above.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: Swarmers or reproductives have wings.

Habitat: Prefers rotting and decaying wood and will inhabit old carpenter ant or termite galleries. In homes and structures, will nest in wall voids around doors, window frames, and insulation.

Habits:

• Rose bushes, fruit trees and any shrub that attracts aphids may contribute to an infestation.

• Due to their ability to strip the insulation off of wires, they can cause short circuits, creating a fire hazard.

• When excited or disturbed, acrobat ant workers will run around with their abdomens held high above their heads.

Actual Size: 2.2 to 2.8 mm

Characteristics: Light to very dark brown.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: The reproductive males and females have wings.

Habitat: Builds nests near water sources. Outdoors, nests are located beneath boards, stones, or at the base of shrubs. Indoors, will build nests in wall voids and insulation.

Habits: 

• Attracted to wet environments near food sources.

• Will contaminate food and spread bacteria when foraging for food in pantries and kitchens.

• Drip irrigation lines provide water and serve like highways for the movement of ants to form new colonies.

Actual Size: 1.5 to 4.5 mm

Characteristics: Range in color from dark brown through shades of red to light yellow. Workers have an unusually large, heart-shaped head.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: The reproductive males and females have wings.

Habitat: Builds nests near water sources. Outdoors, nests are located beneath boards, stones, or at the base of shrubs. Indoors, will build nests in wall voids and insulation.

Habits:

• Constructs mud tubes, which can be mistaken for subterranean termites.

• Workers use their large jaws to crack seeds and other food for the colony.

• Colonies can reach a tremendous size, with extended nests and multiple queens.

Actual Size: ⅝”

Characteristics: Large; red, black, or a combination of both.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: Carpenter ant swarmers have two sets of wings.

Habitat: Prefer damp, moist wood, constructing their nests in hollow trees, logs, posts, landscaping timbers, and wood used in homes and other structures.

Habits:

• Frequently mistaken for termites, carpenter ants are wood-destroying pests.

• Drawn to moisture, they can establish nests both inside and outside of structures.

• Heavy carpenter ant activity in the home can indicate a moisture issue within the structure.

​

Actual Size: 3mm to 9.5mm

Characteristics: Blackish to red in color. Fire ants have a stinger in their abdomen.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: The reproductive males and females have wings.

Habitat: Fire ants build mounds in almost any soil, favoring structural foundations and landscaping in open sunny areas.

Habits:

• Will bite and then use their stinger, located on their abdomen.

• Fire ants feed on young plants and seeds, and will also attack small animals.

• Colonies build above-ground mounds that provide excellent conditions to raise their young.

Actual Size: 1.3 to 1.5 mm

Characteristics: Tiny; head and thorax are dark and the body is light, almost translucent.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: No

Habitat: Constructs nests in moist grass and potted plants. Indoors, will nest in small spaces such as cracks, spaces between cabinetry, baseboards, books, and wall voids.

Habits:

• Also known as the black-headed ant

• Ghost ants exhibit rapid, erratic movement that resembles small spiders.

• Like odorous house ants, the ghost ant excretes a rotten coconut smell.

Actual Size: ¼  to ½ inches

Characteristics: Large, broad blocky head; red or reddish to brownish-black.

Legs: Six

Wings: Male and female reproductives have wings.

Habitat: Nests occur in open grasslands and desert areas. Although they do not nest within homes, they do construct nests in adjacent lawns and garden areas.

Habits:

• Famous for their seed collecting and painful stings.

• Nests constructed in open areas in deserts and sandy soil.

• Does not invade homes, but their nests can damage lawns and playgrounds.

​

Actual Size: ¼  to ½ inches

Characteristics: Large, broad blocky head; red or reddish to brownish-black.

Legs: Six

Wings: Male and female reproductives have wings.

Habitat: Nests occur in open grasslands and desert areas. Although they do not nest within homes, they do construct nests in adjacent lawns and garden areas.

Habits:

• Discovered in Florida for the first time in 2017.

• At just 2 mm long, this invasive species can be hard to detect.

• Will invade homes and backyards displacing native ant species.

Actual Size: 1/16″ to 1/8″

Characteristics: Small; brown or black. Produces a “rotten coconut” smell when they are crushed; hence the name.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: The reproductive males and females have wings.

Habitat: Attracted to moisture; will nest in wall voids near water pipes, heaters, leaking fixtures, and damaged wood.

Habits:

• Will nest inside homes in wall voids near heat sources.

• Prefers to eat sweets, but will eat almost any household food.

• Enters structures during and after heavy rains when the honeydew of plants has washed away.

Actual Size: 1/16 to 1/8 inches

Characteristics: Light to dark brown to blackish; dark parallel lines run down the head and thorax.

Legs: Six

Antennae: Yes

Wings: The reproductive males and females have wings.

Habitat: Nests are located in open soil or under stones and pavement, masonry or wood, near sidewalks, patios, and driveways.

Habits:

• Prefers to feed on meat proteins and greasy foods.

• Indoors, will build nests in walls, insulation, and underneath floors.

• Outdoors pavement ants nest under flat stones, sidewalks, and concrete slabs.

Actual Size: 1/16 to ⅛ inches

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

Legs: Six

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.

• Colonies are very large with over 300,000 individuals and multiple queens.

• Potentially dangerous in hospitals due to their ability to transmit disease.

Actual Size: ⅛”

Characteristics: Golden-brown to reddish-brown.

Legs: Six

Antennae: Yes

Wings: Males and females have wings, but rarely fly.

Habitat: Moist and dry environments. Will nest in electronics, underneath floorboards, trash bins, and inside car engines.

Habits:

• Also known as raspberry crazy ants.

• Named for their erratic, highly unpredictable movements.

• Drawn to electrical equipment, they have been found in televisions, computers, and other appliances.