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Ant Facts & Information

Protect your home or business from ants by learning techniques for identification and control.

Ant illustration
Family Formicidae

IDENTIFY

Types of Ants

What do ants look like?

Adult ants species come in a variety of shapes and sizes but each will be one of three different colony castes; queens, workers or males. Queens are fertile females that lay all the eggs in a colony. Workers are wingless females that gather food, feed larvae, maintain the nest, defend the colony, and do not reproduce. Male ants are winged and their only job is to mate with the queens during the swarming process.

Common Ants

Ants That Bite or Sting

What do Acrobat Ants Look Like? | Identify Acrobat Ants

Acrobat Ant

Crematogaster spp.

What Do Army Ants Look Like? | Identify Ants

Army Ant

Ecitoninae spp.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants

Camponotus spp.

Cow Killer Ants

Cow Killer Ant

Dasymutilla occidentalis

Elongate Mexican Twig Ant Facts | What are Twig Ants

Elongate Mexican Twig Ant

Pseudomyrmex gracilis

Field Ant Facts and Information | Get Rid of Ants

Field Ant

Formica spp.

How to Get Rid of Fire Ants | Exterminator for Fire Ants

Fire Ant

Solenopsis invicta

Harvester Ants

Harvester Ant

Pogonomyrmex spp.

Moisture Ants

Moisture Ant

Lasius spp.

Pavement Ants

Pavement Ant

Tetramorium caespitum

Roger's Ants

Roger's Ant

Hypoponera punctatissima

Forelius Pruinosus

Forelius Pruinosus

Common Ants

Ants That Don’t Bite or Sting

Allegheny Mound Ant Identification | Mound Ant Facts

Allegheny Mound Ant

Formica exsectoides

How to Identify Argentine Ants | Ant Facts

Argentine Ant

Linepithema humile

Facts About Bigheaded Ants | Ant Habits & Behaviors

Bigheaded Ant

Pheidole spp.

Citronella Ants

Citronella Ant

Lasius interjectus

Crazy Ants

Crazy Ant

Paratrechina longicornis

Ghost Ants

Ghost Ant

Tapinoma melanocephalum

Grease Ants

Grease Ant

Leafcutter Ants

Leafcutter Ant

Atta & Acromyrmex spp.

Little Black Ants | Tiny Black Ants In Your House

Little Black Ant

Monomorium minimum

How to Identify & Get Rid of Odorous Ants

Odorous Ant

Tapinoma sessile

Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh Ant

Monomorium pharaonis

Pyramid Ants

Pyramid Ant

Dorymyrmex spp.

Rover Ants

Rover Ant

Brachymyrmex spp.

Small Honey Ants

Small Honey Ant

Prenolepis imparis

How to Identify & Get Rid of Sugar Ants

Sugar Ant

Camponotus consobrinus

Tawny Crazy Ants

Tawny Crazy Ant

Nylanderia fulva

How to Identify & Get Rid of Thief Ants

Thief Ant

Solenopsis molesta

White-Footed Ants

White-Footed Ant

Technomyrmex difficilis

Treatment

How do I get rid of ants?

What Orkin Does

Getting rid of ants and keeping them out of homes and buildings is an ongoing process, not a one-time treatment. Orkin Pros are trained to help manage different types of ants and ant infestation. Since every home or building is different, it’s important to understand ant facts and properly identify ants in order to help manage the situation.

By using Orkin’s exclusive A.I.M. solution, a continuing cycle of three critical steps — Assess, Implement and Monitor — your Orkin Pro will design a unique ant control and treatment program to help you repel ants inside your house or anywhere else they may be. With expert knowledge and the proper equipment, you can rely on our ant exterminators to successfully help you deal with ant- and other pest-related problems.

Find a branch closest to you for help from an Orkin Pro today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Ant on an apple

Ant Facts

Learn All About Ants

The more you know about ants, the better you can predict and control their behavior. Here are some quick facts to help you on your way.

Leaving Trails

Ants leave an invisible chemical trail which contains pheromones for others to follow once they locate the food source.

Nesting

Ants can nest anywhere in and around your house—in lawns, walls, stumps, and even under foundation.

Lifespan

A colony can live a relatively long lifetime. Worker ants may live seven years and the queen may live up to 15 years.

Colonies

Colonies can number up to 500,000 and whole colonies can uproot and relocate quickly when threatened.

More Resources

Dig Deeper on Ants

Visit the Orkin Pest Library to learn how to identify and control other pests.
Explore Our Pest Library

Information About Ants

Ants Stings

Explore the reasons why an ant may sting or bite, along with the symptoms of an ant bite and what to do if stung or bitten.

Ants Inside Your Home

While any species of ant can be difficult to prevent and manage, effective ant control depends on proper identification of the ant infestation inside your home, knowledge of nest locations and the ant’s preferred foods.

Ant Mounds

An ant mound is an indication that an ant colony is present – but what you see above ground represents only a small portion of what occurs with overall construction of the ant nest below.

Boric Acid & Ants

While there are many ready-to-use boric acid bait ant control products available, DIY ant control products may be ineffective at treating an entire ant infestation.

Queen Ants

Fertile females (queen ants), regardless of species, are often larger and have thicker bodies than other members of the ant colony, making them easily distinguishable.

Winged Ants

Although a majority of ants are wingless, at certain times of the year, swarms of flying ants are common and typically mean that there's likely an established colony nearby.

How Do Ants Reproduce?

Reproduction for ants is a complex phenomenon that involves finding, selecting and successfully fertilizing females to ensure that the eggs laid can survive and molt through the successive stages of the lifespan of an ant – larvae, pupae and adults.

How Long Do Ants Live?

Ants generally have a short life cycle, but some colony members can live from as little as a few days to as long as a few decades – it depends on a number of factors.

Types of Ant Nests

Explore the three major groups in which ant nests are generally divided and categorized into – ants that nest in soil, ones that nest in wood and ants that are opportunistic nesters.

Why Do Ants Come Inside the House During the Winter?

Ants often move indoors looking for better conditions, food, moisture, shelter, favorable temperatures and permanent residence.

Why Do Ants Go Inside the Walls

Ants become dwellers inside walls and other voids to find a more preferred site for food, moisture and protection than what is available to them outdoors. Learn more including how exterminators get rid of ants in walls.

Can Ants Hear?

Although hearing is very different in ants than animals that typically have ears, ants do possess the capability to hear.

Can Ants Smell?

Similar to other insects, ants perceive smells with their antennae.

Do Ants Carry Disease?

Similar to mosquitoes and other insects, ants do carry and transmit bacterial and fungal organisms that are serious disease pathogens.

What's the Hierarchy of an Ant Colony?

Learn more about these extremely social insects by exploring their highly-structured colonies and the important role each caste plays in the overall hierarchy.

What Do I Do If I Have Ants In Sink And Walls?

Find out what you should do if you have ants in your sinks and walls.

How Can I Get Rid Of Little Ants In My Bathroom?

Is your bathroom crawling with ants? Find tips on what you should do to remove ants from the bathroom.

How Can I Get Rid Of Ants In My Car?

Find helpful tips on how to get rid of ants from your car and prevent ant infestations.

How Does Ant Bait Work?

Learn about ant bait and how it works to remove and control ants.

Should I Move An Ant Nest?

Find out what steps you should take if you are considering moving an ant nest.

Do Ant Bites Have Venom?

If you have ever been bit by an ant you already know that it isn't a pleasant experience, but do ants have venom?

What are Zombie Ants?

The cordyceps fungi takes over ants' brains and muscles to turn them into zombies. Learn more about zombie ants here.

When Is Ant Season?

Although ants can thrive year-round, they're usually most active between March and October.

Largest Ant Colony in the World

Learn the history behind the Argentine ant supercolony.

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