Ants are the most frequent and persistent pest encountered around homes and buildings. Besides being a nuisance, ants contaminate food, build unsightly mounds on our property, and cause structural damage by hollowing out wood for nesting. To most homeowners, all ants look alike. In truth, dozens of different species occur around homes and buildings, each having unique chracteristics, which may influence the method of control. Ants are social insects belonging to the order of insects known as “Hymenoptera”. This is the same order containing bees and wasps. They live in large, cooperative, intermingling colonies where they depend upon each other for the survival of the entire colony, which range from hundreds to millions, depending on the species. There can also be several colonies inhabiting the soil or landscape surrounding a property. For that reason, ants can be a particularly difficult pest to eradicate. In our area, the most common house-invading ant is the Odorous house ant. Other common species include Carpenter, Pavement, Pharaoh, and Acrobat. To gain control it takes a tremendous amount of knowledge, which is best left to the professionals at ARAB. Below you’ll find the most common ants that frequently invade our homes and businesses. Click on each picture to learn more about the species.