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Pavement Ant
(John Obermeyer, Purdue University)

Common Name: Pavement Ant

Order: Hymenoptera

Family: Formicidae

Pest Status: Pavement ants can become nuisance pests when they enter homes while foraging for food.

Appearance: Pavement ants are small, ranging from 1/16 to 1/10-inch in length. Their antennae have 12 segments and the thorax has one set of spines. These ants are generally dark brown in color and can be separated from most other ants by the unique ridges or grooves that occur on the head and thorax.

Life Cycle: A new ant colony is started by a single queen. She lays the eggs and tends the brood that develops into worker ants. Tending of the brood is then taken over by the workers.

Where to Collect: Pavement ants often nest under sidewalks, stones, logs, boards, bricks, and patio blocks. These ants rarely nest indoors in walls, under floors, or in insulation.