Pharaoh Ant Facts & Information

What do Pharaoh ants look like?

Pharaoh ants are small ants, measuring about 1/16 to 1/8 inch in length. They have a yellow to light brown coloration and a relatively smooth and shiny exoskeleton. Their bodies are slender with a well-defined, two-segmented waist and tiny, inconspicuous eyes.

What do Pharaoh ants eat?

Pharaoh ants are omnivorous and have a varied diet. They feed on sweets, proteins, and fats, including items like sugar, honey, grease, and even dead insects. They are particularly attracted to food that is high in sugar content.

What sort of habitat do Pharaoh ants live in?

Pharaoh ants prefer warm, indoor environments and are commonly found in buildings such as homes, hospitals, and restaurants. They nest in hidden, protected areas like wall voids, under floors, behind baseboards, and in insulation. They can also establish colonies in areas with easy access to food and water.

How do Pharaoh ants commonly behave?

Pharaoh ants are highly social and live in large colonies that can consist of thousands of individuals. They are known for their persistent foraging behavior and can form long trails to food sources. Their colonies can have multiple queens, which allows them to rapidly reproduce and spread.

Did you know this about Pharaoh ants?

Pharaoh ants are notorious for their ability to establish and persist in indoor environments, making them a common pest in facilities that require high levels of cleanliness. They are also known for their resilience to many common ant control methods, which can make them challenging to eradicate. Interestingly, Pharaoh ants are used in scientific research to study social behavior and colony dynamics due to their complex and highly organized social structure.