Pharaoh Ant
Category: Ants
Scientific Name: Monomorium pharaonis (Linnaeus)
Identification:
Color: Body is pale, with yellowish to reddish coloring and a dark abdomen
Size: Body is 1.5 to 2 mm long
Region: Found throughout the US
Important Considerations:
- This ant tends to have large colonies numbering in the thousands to several hundred-thousand
- Developmental time from egg to adult is about 38 days
- Queens live for 4-12 months, and males die 3-5 weeks after mating
- These ants can be harmful because they will take residence in places like hospitals, seeking areas with moisture, and they can also disturb food-handling establishments
- They will eat a wide variety of foods such as syrups, fruits, meats, pies, and dead insects
Where to Find Them on Your Property?
You can find Pharaoh Ants in places like wall voids, in furniture, behind baseboards, under floors and between linens. These ants can stray up to 148 feet away from their nest when searching for food or water, and will leave trails to their food or water sources. Pharaoh Ants can forage during the day and the night, and will use electrical or telephone wires as a highway system to travel inside structures.