Pavement (Sugar) Ants Information and Control: New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut areas

• Appearance

  These common household pests derive their name from the fact that they usually make their residence under pavement. A dark brownish almost black ant is less 1/8 of an inch long, a two node and distinguished by their two spines on their back.

• Habitat

  Ranging from the Southwest all the way toward the Northeast, the pavement ant is a very common pest around the US. They live under patios, near curbs, under mulch, and of course under paved areas such as driveways and walkways. You can spot their nests by looking at odd soil deposits in walkway and driveway cracks. During the Spring the ants start to create enormous swarms some in the tens of thousands. Due to the aggressive nature of pavement ants, rival colonies will battle for supremacy therefore allowing for enormous swarms of ants to gather around your house. Lets not be mistaken for their name alone, this ants can find their way into your house. Usually through small cracks in your foundation, pipelines, and breaks in your siding, they can become an incredible nuisance.

• How do they affect me?

  Pavement Ants do not carry any toxins that if bitten will do harm to humans or pets, these ants are more of an eye sore to look at than anything. Yet, getting rid of them should be a priority to any home owner. If you allow these ants to start colonizing near and around your house you will be using your indoor vaccum for often than you would like to. About 1/10th of an inch long you can imagine the tiny crevasses that these ants can get into. Contamination of food products is a home owners main concern. Other concerns are infestations near sinks, boilers, and any moisture abundant area in your home.

• What should I do?

  Before picking an elimination technique you have to make sure you make a thorough inspection of the colony situation. During the night, colonies can be spotted better since more activity occurs during evening hours. Make sure you go out at night time to observe their behaviors to see the extent of the situation. Pavement Ants is a pest covered under our Home Pest Prevention program.