Pavement Ant
Tetramorium caespitum
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Size: Workers are about 1/10 to 1/8 inches (2-3mm) long.
Color: These ants are brown or reddish-brown and have distinctive grooves on the head and thorax.
Geographic Range: Pavement ants are very common in the eastern United States.
Habitat: This ant's name is derived from its preference for nesting in soil next to and beneath slabs, sidewalks, patios, and driveways. Colonies are usually easy to find due to the piles of displaced soil next to and on top of pavement. Indoors, pavement ants nest under the foundation and within hollow block foundation walls. Occasionally, a colony may carry soil up into a wall to form a nest. When piles of soil appear from under baseboards or on top of a basement or garage floor, it is a good sign that pavement ants may be present.
Food: Pavement ants are trailing ants and feed on a wide variety of foods including dead insects, greasy foods, seeds, and sweets, including the honeydew of aphids. They often enter houses looking for food. They may become numerous in a short period of time in a kitchen or outside on a patio.
Tips for Control: Individual pavement colonies can often be controlled using ant baits, but perimeter inspection and treatment are commonly necessary for long-term relief. Pavement ant colonies are controlled by direct treatment of nests in the soil. Where colonies are located under slabs, ant baits may be successful in controlling an infestation. If baits are unsuccessful, the slab may need to be drilled and treated underneath.
These tips will help prevent a pavement ant infestation:
- Seal cracks and holes in the exterior of the home to prevent ants and other pests from entering.
- Keep vegetation cut away from the foundation of the home.
- Avoid using items such as stones and landscape timbers next to the home's foundation. Pavement ants nesting under these items are likely to infest the home.
- Keep layers of mulch in landscape beds less than two inches thick and at least 12 inches away from the foundation
Environmental Policy
The employees of American Pest Management are committed to improving the quality of life for all of our customers by providing the safest and most effective treatment for the management of pests which pose a threat to their health, property, and food supply. History has shown that neglecting to control pests such as cockroaches, mosquitoes, rodents, and ticks, and the misapplication of pest control products are equally dangerous.
