How To Identify Ants With Pictures

Optionally, you may observe how they carry food, how fast they run, their trail pattern, or even the postures they strike when disturbed. [1] X Research source Most of these details will not be covered in this guide, but they may help later if you narrow down the identification to a couple species and need to perform a little outside research.

A pair of tweezers will again be useful for investigation, for adjusting the ant’s position.

Ants have “elbowed” antenna, with a distinct joint, and narrow waists. Termites have straight antenna and no obvious waist. Some ants have stingers, while some wasps do not. Both insects have narrow waists, but ants have tiny “nodes” between the two body segments, while the segments connect directly on a wasp. Winged ants have four wings, with the front pair larger than the rear pair. If all four wings are the same size, you most likely have a termite.

How many nodes there are (one or two) Shape of the node (sharp point, rounded bump, square/lump, or flat)

Count the number of spines, if present.

Some tropical countries and islands have interactive guides here, but not all of these are in a usable state.

Visit AntWeb. org. Select Regions in small text near the top of the page, then select your region from the drop-down menu. Select “Nearctic” for Canada, the U. S. , and Baja California. Select “Neotropical” for the rest of Mexico and Latin America. Alternatively, enter your specimen’s information into Discover Life’s database.

Start by navigating to the section for one-node or two-node ants, depending on your specimen. In each section, the most widespread invasive ant species are listed in detail first. Other relatively common pest ant species with more restricted territories are given briefer descriptions beneath them.

Colonies are typically in damp areas outdoors, but are also found indoors. Eradication is extremely difficult due to multiple cooperating colonies and multiple queens per colony. [7] X Research source

Look for trails across lawns where vegetation has been thinned or removed.

In the tropics, some crazy ant species are yellowish-brown instead and can be up to 1/5" (5 mm) long, with a darker gaster (rear abdomen). [9] X Research source

Ghost ants: Very small (1/16" or 2 mm), with a black/brown head and pale abdomen. Flat, hidden node, no spines. Usually outdoors in tropics, or on plants from greenhouses or tropics. [10] X Research source Odorous house ants: 1/8" (3. 5 mm) long, one flat, hidden node, no spines. Strong, unusual odor when crushed. Primarily found in trails looking for sugar, but this varies. [11] X Trustworthy Source University of California Integrated Pest Management Program Research-based pest management program run by the University of California’s Cooperative Extension Go to source Rover ants: male workers are 1/16" (2 mm), small and black with unusual straight antenna. Most easily distinguished by the much larger, winged females, which are found near light or floating in standing water. [12] X Research source White-footed ants: These 1/8" (3. 5 mm) ants are usually black with pale “feet. " A flat, hidden node, no thorax spines.

The nest is most easily found by following the trails and looking for dead ants near holes in walls. [13] X Research source

These ants prefer to forage for protein foods.

These often nest in electrical boxes and air conditioners, when established indoors. Outdoors, they are visible in large numbers after rainfall, rebuilding mound-shaped nests. Californians may be able to receive assistance dealing with this species. [14] X Trustworthy Source University of California Integrated Pest Management Program Research-based pest management program run by the University of California’s Cooperative Extension Go to source

Little black ants: Tiny (1/16” or 2mm) black ants, as you might guess. No spines and a tiny, almost invisible stinger make this ant difficult to identify. When nesting indoors, they are found in decaying wood and masonry. Pavement ants typically nest in soil or sidewalk (pavement) cracks, with small dirt “craters. " Slow-moving, with distinct grooves visible under magnification. [15] X Trustworthy Source University of California Integrated Pest Management Program Research-based pest management program run by the University of California’s Cooperative Extension Go to source Pharaoh ants. Yellow or orange ants that will happily nest almost anywhere, with a slightly thicker three-segmented “club” at the end of the antenna. Non-professional extermination attempts can worsen the problem. [16] X Research source [17] X Trustworthy Source University of California Integrated Pest Management Program Research-based pest management program run by the University of California’s Cooperative Extension Go to source Thief ants. Extremely tiny (1/16” or 2mm, or smaller) yellow or brown ants, with a two-segmented antenna club tip. They tend to stick to a trail once established and may be found traveling through electrical outlets or into small holes in packaged food. [18] X Trustworthy Source University of California Integrated Pest Management Program Research-based pest management program run by the University of California’s Cooperative Extension Go to source [19] X Research source