Pharaoh Ant
Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus)
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Size: Pharaoh ant workers and males are about 1/16 in (1.5-2 mm) long; queens are about 1/8 in (4 mm).
Color: Body is pale yellow to red; darker abdomen is almost black; queens are slightly darker.
Geographic Range: Probably native to Africa, but found throughout the U.S.
Habitat: Pharaoh ant nests are usually indoors where there is warmth and high humidity. They may also be found on the ground outdoors, and in debris which has collected on a flat roof.
Food: Workers establish trails to feeding spots, and may go far for food and water. They eat sweets, meat and dead insects.
Biology: Colonies usually have thousands of workers, up to several hundred thousand. In a large colony there are several hundred females that can lay eggs. They cannot survive the winter in much of the U.S.; however, they do overwinter in Florida and Hawaii. Indoors they can survive year round. There is no swarming. Mating takes place inside the nest. Development from egg to adult takes about 38 days, if the temperature is warm. Workers live about 9 or 10 weeks, with only 10% going out to feed at one time. Queens live much longer, from 4 to 12 months. Males die about 3-5 weeks after mating. New nests can be formed with as few as 5 workers, 10 preadults and 1 queen.
Damage: Pharaoh ants are believed to spread various diseases. They are a common problem in hotels, grocery stores, hospitals and apartments.
Detection:
- Beware! Common ant repellents actually cause a Pharaoh ant colony to grow. The ants disappear to find new nest sites and in 7-10 days there are multiple colonies.
- Investigate indoor moisture spots, such as houseplants, sinks, and bathrooms.
- Check food spots such as pet food dishes, microwave oven, garbage containers.
- Watch windowsills for dead insects.
- Outdoors, search the building perimeter and shaded parts of flat roofs, early and late in the day.
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.
