There are many types of ants that may find their way into your home. Before you can determine why they chose your home or the best way to get rid of them, you must first identify the type of ant problem that you’re facing. There are dozens of varieties of ants throughout the United States, read on to learn about some of the most common household invaders.

Argentine Ant

Scientific name: Linepithema humile
Argentine ants most commonly enter homes during dry parts of the summer, while they are desperately seeking food and water. If they find either of these in your home these ants can be a real hassle to get rid of. Make sure to deal with an argentine ant problem as quickly as possible, if given enough time their colonies can grow to very extreme sizes. Several types of pest control methods have been proven to be effective against these pests, so get in touch with an exterminator at the first sign of argentine ant infestation.

Bigheaded Ant

Scientific name: Pheidole spp.
Bigheaded ants usually live underground, but it’s not uncommon for them to build a nest underneath the foundation of a home. Once they’ve set up a home here, it is not uncommon to see these ants throughout your home searching for food to take back to their nest. These ants range from yellow to a dark reddish brown color. These pests can reproduce very quickly, with one queen ant producing nearly 300 eggs in just one month’s time.

Carpenter Ants

Scientific name: Camponotus spp
Carpenter ants are perhaps the most destructive type of ant that is found in the United States. These tiny pests burrow deep inside of wood that has already been weakened by water damage. They create their homes here inside of the wood, but this hollowing process puts this already weak wood in much worse shape. If not taken care of this could eventually lead to structural collapses. For this reason you need to remove carpenter ant infestations as quickly as possible, as well as the water damage that led the to your home in the first place.

Fire Ants

Scientific name: Solenopsis invicta
Fire ants are easy to identify by their bright red color. Even more noticeable is their painful sting, a behavior that is extremely uncommon in most varieties of ants. These pests are not native to the United States, but today they can be found in many warmer parts of the country. They are most commonly found in southern states as well as the warmer parts of western states like California.

Pavement Ant

Scientific name: Tetramorium caespitum
Pavement ants take their name from the fact that they usually build their nests within cracks of pavement, but they can also find their way into your home. These ants are very aggressive and will fight with neighboring colonies. Their most prolific reproduction takes place in the summer, but a pavement ant infestation can take place in your home during any part of the year. Like all ants, this variety can spread bacteria and diseases throughout your home. If these or other pests become a problem in your home, it is imperative that you get in touch with a licenced pest control professional as soon as possible.

Pharaoh Ant

Scientific name: Monomorium pharaonis
These small yellow ants are most well known for taking up residence inside of heating systems in order to survive the winter. If you have wall heaters they can be easy to spot, but many homeowners do not realize that they have a central heating unit that’s full of pharaoh ants. These ants can spread all sorts of disease and bacteria, and they’ve been known to cause problems in hospitals by contaminating sterile areas.