Pest library
Free to browse — identification info for every pest we cover. Treatment steps and product picks are part of your subscription.
- Acrobat AntDark brown to black ants, 1/8 inch, recognizable by their heart-shaped abdomen which they raise over their body when threatened. Often nests in moisture-damaged wood, insulation, or old carpenter ant galleries.
- Argentine AntLight to dark brown ants, about 1/12 inch, notable for forming massive interconnected colonies with multiple queens. They travel in dense trails and are strongly attracted to sweet and sugary foods.
- Carpenter AntLarge black or red-and-black ants, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, that excavate smooth tunnels in damp or decaying wood to build nests. Unlike termites, they don't eat wood — they push out small piles of sawdust-like debris (frass) near entry points. Winged reproductives ('swarmers') emerging indoors in spring are a strong sign of an established nest.
- Crazy AntDark brown ants, about 1/8 inch, named for their fast, erratic, non-linear running pattern. They form large colonies and are drawn to electrical equipment as well as food.
- Fire AntReddish-brown ants, 1/8 to 1/4 inch, that build large dome-shaped dirt mounds in open, sunny areas. Their sting causes a painful, burning welt that can blister — a distinguishing behavioral trait when a mound is disturbed.
- Little Black AntTiny jet-black ants, about 1/16 inch, that nest in soil, under stones, or in wood, and forage in visible trails both indoors and outdoors.
- Odorous House AntSmall dark brown to black ants, about 1/8 inch, that release a strong rotten-coconut smell when crushed. They nest in shallow soil, under mulch, or in wall voids, and form large, fast-moving trails to food, especially sweets.
- Pavement AntSmall brown-black ants, about 1/8 inch, that nest in and under cracks in pavement, sidewalks, and foundations. Small mounds of excavated soil around cracks are a common sign of activity.
- Pharaoh AntTiny yellow to light brown ants, about 1/16 inch, common indoors year-round, especially in heated buildings. Colonies split easily when disturbed, making them notoriously difficult to control with contact sprays alone.
- Thief AntExtremely small yellow to brown ants, about 1/32 inch, that nest near other ant colonies and steal their brood and food, and are drawn to greasy and protein-rich foods indoors.