Body Color: light yellowish to brownish
They seem to have become an increasingly common pest in the last few years. Pharaoh ants can be easily distinguished by the presence of three segments in the antennal club. Their small size enable them to get into almost anything, and their wide food preference combine to make them very difficult to eradicate from structures. Nests are rarely found, but occur between walls, under floors, above ceilings, behind baseboards and switch plates, in old trash, in folded bathroom linen, or outside in gardens and along walks. In the warmer climates of the southern United States, these ants can be found foraging and nesting on the outside of buildings or in adjacent landscape areas. This will be especially true where humid conditions are common, or where sources of moisture such as sprinkler systems. Workers measure 1/15-1/12 inches long. Under such circumstances, inspections and control programs should be extended beyond the interior portions of the building. They will feed on such a diverse array of materials that the use of the term “food preferences” seems inappropriate. However, substances like syrups, fruit juices, honey, jelly, cakes, pies, greases, dead insects, or meats and blood are frequently fed upon. This ant is very persistent and hard to control. It has a tendency to appear suddenly in various places within the structure. Its tendency to forage over wide areas and to nest in well-protected or hidden areas contributes to control difficulties.
