Pavement Ants, which usually make their homes in pavements, are small about 2.5 to 3mm long. They are black-brown ants, with lighter legs and antennae. They can be identified by two spines on the back, two nodes on the petiole, with parallel lines on head and thorax. The colonies can be moderately large.
Pavement ants find their way into buildings while out foraging for food. Their nest can be found outdoors under stones/rocks, along curbs or in cracks of pavement such as drive ways or patios. Nests can been found indoors as well, under floors, inside insulation and within walls.
Pavement ants, like other ants will feed on a wide variety of foods, including meats, grease, live and dead insects, seeds and honeydew from aphids. They prefer greasy foods, and can eat many foods consumed by humans. They forage for food for their colonies and set up trails to the food source from their nests. Pavement ant workers go into houses to forage and can become a bothersome pest when large groups infest your homes kitchen or backyard patio.
Seeing worker pavement ants is the one of most noticeable signs you may have an infestation, but another well known indicator can be small piles of excavated materials or sand along the sides or cracks of your patio or drive way pavement. The typical colony of pavement ants includes multiple queens and numerous workers. A queen establishes a new colony of pavement ants by laying eggs. Pavement worker ants then tend the queen’s brood until they develop into adults. During their development, broods are transferred from location to location to protect them from fluctuations in moisture and temperature.
The nests of pavement ants can be difficult to locate and may require some investigating. It’s important to understand what the proper treatment is for this particular ant. Some treatment products can cause the ants to panic and spread, which will just result in new colonies rather than solving the problem. It’s always wise to consult a professional before trying to treat on your own.
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