Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh Ant Facts

• Color: Pale yellow to light reddish brown, with a darker rear end
• Size: Roughly 1/16 inch, about 2 mm

Pharaoh Ant Behavior

This ant has followed people around the globe and now lives in buildings on nearly every continent, thriving indoors close to our food, water and warmth.

The name likely traces back to an old, mistaken story that placed this ant among the plagues of ancient Egypt. Because it loves sweets, some people call it a sugar ant, though that nickname is used for several species.

Spotting a Pharaoh Ant Up Close

These ants are so small that most people notice the trail before the individual ant. With a magnifier, look for:

• A pale yellow to amber body with a darker tip on the abdomen.
• A two-part waist, with two small bumps between the thorax and abdomen.
• Antennae that end in a three-segment club.
• Workers that are all about the same size, unlike fire ants, which come in a range of sizes.

Two look-alikes are common in Florida homes:

• Ghost ants have a dark head and thorax with a pale, almost see-through abdomen and legs, and a one-part waist.
• Thief ants are similar in color but even smaller, with a two-segment club on the antennae.

Pharaoh ants are a tropical species that can’t survive cold winters outdoors, so across most of the country they live only in heated buildings. In Florida they can nest outdoors as well as indoors and stay active all year. Inside, they favor warm, humid spots close to water, such as wall voids near hot water pipes, behind dishwashers and around bathroom fixtures. Their food preferences shift over time between sugars, grease and protein, which matters when choosing bait. They spread easily through apartments, condos, hotels and hospitals. For warning signs, see pharaoh ant infestation.