12 Types of Ants Spoiling a Picnic Near You

Carpenter ants are larger ants, usually dark brown to black, and are known for nesting in decaying wood or tree stumps. Unlike termites, they don’t eat wood, but they do excavate it to build ant colonies.

These ants can cause structural damage if left unchecked. Control carpenter ants with bait stations or call a pest control professional.

Pavement ants are small and commonly found under sidewalks, driveways, and patios. They can also enter homes in search of food and often nest in wall voids.

Identifying ants like these involves looking for slow-moving worker ants near food containers or window frames. Their dark brown color and trailing behavior are giveaways.

These ants release a rotten coconut smell when crushed, hence their name. Odorous house ants often nest indoors near heat and moisture sources.

Control odorous house ants by sealing food sources and using ant baits. Their colonies can include multiple queens, which makes ant control a bit more challenging.

Pharaoh ants are tiny, yellowish ants that form large colonies with one or more queens. They're commonly found in hospitals, apartment buildings, and homes, nesting in hidden spaces like wall voids.

Because their colonies can split when stressed, using bait is better than sprays for effective control.

Known for their painful sting, fire ants are aggressive and build large nests in open areas like lawns and fields. These red or reddish-brown ants are a major pest in parts of the southern U.S. and Central and South America.

Their nests can house large colonies, and stings can cause allergic reactions. Professional pest control service is often needed for serious infestations.

Argentine ants form supercolonies and are known for displacing native ant species. They are dark brown and often trail in large numbers.

Their ability to nest in various environments—from tree limbs to wall voids—makes them particularly invasive. Use bait to target worker ants and queens.

Found primarily in Central and South America, leaf cutter ants are famous for their farming behavior. Worker ants cut leaves and carry them back to their nest to grow fungus, which serves as their food source.

These ants are notable for their highly complex social systems, particularly their advanced fungus-farming behavior.

Named for their ability to raise their abdomen over their heads when disturbed, acrobat ants often nest in rotting wood or tree branches. They’re small, heart-shaped ants that can bite when threatened. Like other ants, they are attracted to food containers and sweet substances.

Crazy ants get their name from their erratic, rapid movements. They are reddish-brown to black and often nest in wall voids, leaf litter, or under stones.

Their colonies can contain multiple queens, and they’re known for displacing fire ants in some regions.

These tiny ants often live near other ant colonies, stealing food and brood—hence the name. They’re sometimes called grease ants because they’re attracted to greasy food. Thief ants can be difficult to spot and often require bait-based pest control.

Often mistaken for carpenter ants due to their size, field ants build mounds in lawns and fields. They don’t nest in wood and don’t pose a risk of structural damage. Their coloration varies from black to reddish brown.

Black ants, sometimes used as a catchall term, are usually small, dark ants found indoors and outdoors. Most ants referred to as black ants are either odorous house ants or pavement ants. Proper identification is essential for effective treatment.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.