At some point you’ve probably noticed tiny little piles of sand and soil next to pavements, sidewalks, or near the edge of buildings. This displaced dirt is likely to be the handiwork of pavement ants.
Although originally from Europe, these pavement pests have made themselves at home in much of the US and have become one of the most common types of ant here.
Usually nesting under pavements – hence their name – they can also cause significant problems in houses by setting up residence in concrete slab foundations and inside your home.
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We will give you the background on these pests and how to control them.
IdentificationFirst and foremost, how do you know you have pavement ants? This particular type is frequently confused with the dreaded odorous house ant, which is also found throughout the US.
Both types are dark brown to black in color, and are about 1/8 inch long.
However, unlike the odorous house variety, pavement ants have two nodes in front of their abdomen and fine grooves on their head and thorax. They also have a cluster of hairs on the end of their abdomen and two spines on their backs.
Helpfully, they leave little piles of soil or sand beside driveways, patios, and paving stones, giving you a clue not only to their presence but also the location of their nests.
Most active at night, you’ll frequently find them making their way across your kitchen floor in search of the sugar bowl, or enjoying leftover pet food.
They also smell acidic when crushed, while the odorous house variety smells like rotten coconuts.
DistributionPavement ants are not native to the US
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