Fire ants probably have the worst reputation among the ant species found in the Untied States. Here is a litlle about them.

LOOKS LIKE: Fire ants are dark reddish brown in color and range from 1/8-3/8 inch long.

HABIT: Red imported fire ants build their nest mounds outdoors in landscape areas or near a structural foundation. They can also gain entry to a building through holes or cracks in the exterior structure.

DANGER: Red imported fire ants attack with a painful sting when nests are disturbed. The sting often results in a raised welt that becomes a white pustule. Anyone allergic to insect stings will react more severely.

Odorous House Ants, or also known as the sugar ant, are common throughout the Untied States. Here is their profile.

LOOKS LIKE: Odorous house ants are dark brown to black in color and range in size from 1/16-1/8 inch long.

HABIT: Typically living for several years, odorous house ants are known to make their homes in exposed soil. They also nest in cracks of walls and under floors inside homes.

DANGER: These ants do not pose a public health risk or cause structural damage to buildings. They can contaminate food. These species give off a rotten coconut-like smell when crushed, which is why they are known as “odorous” ants.

Argentine Ants maybe be tiny, but are known to be the most invasive species. Each nest has more that one queen that reproduce at the same time. These are not the strongest ants, but they are mighty in number.

LOOKS LIKE: Argentine ants are dark brown and between 1/16-1/4 inch long in size.

HABIT: Argentine ant colonies like to find in wet environments near a food source. They will move from the garden into homes during certain times of the year. When it’s cold and wet outside, and in peak summer, when it’s hot and dry outside.

DANGER: Argentine ants do not pose a health threat but can contaminate food and excrete a musty odor when crushed.

Crazy Ant got its name because of its quick, unpredictable movements. Crazy ants decimate native insects. They overtake beehives and destroy the colonies. They may smother bird chicks struggling to hatch.

LOOKS LIKE: Crazy ants are dark brown to black with a gray sheen. They range from 1/16-1/8 inch long in size. This species is highly adaptable to both dry and moist habitats.

HABIT: Crazy ants are highly adaptable to both dry and moist habitats. These species enter homes in the autumn or after rainfall because both conditions reduce food supply, known as honeydew. Crazy ant workers are omnivorous, feeding on dead and live insects; honeydew is produced from insects, fruits, plant secretions, seeds, and a variety of household food items such as sweets, meats, grease, and liquids. Inside the home, these ants usually nest underneath floors or carpeting. Outside, the nests are shallow and commonly found in the soil under objects or near foundations.

DANGER: These ants do not pose a health threat, but if they gain entry to a structure, they can become a nuisance. Are known to be attracted to electronics, circuit boxes, and machinery. Known to invade and kill bird hatchlings.

LOOKS LIKE: Pavement ants are darkish brown to black and are about 1/8 inch long.

HABIT: Pavement ants get their name because they make their nests in or under cracks in the pavement. They can infest structures by entering through holes in the concrete foraging for food. Very destructive and a nuisance you do not want in your home.

DANGER: These black pavement ants do not pose a public health risk but eat almost anything and can contaminate food. Pavement ants do not bite, but do have the ability to sting. Not an aggressive nature.