Common Ants in Georgia

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Ant infestations are one of the most common pest problems reported in Georgia, and there are multiple species known to be active in this region. Some ant colonies can have millions of individual ants living in them! At Active Pest Control, we know how overwhelming an ant infestation in your home or business can be, and we take many phone calls from customers inquiring about the types of ants they’re seeing on their property. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of the most common ants we get calls for and what you should know about them.

Identifying Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are the largest ant you’ll find in your Georgia home. At ¼-½ an inch in length, these ants are hard to miss. Carpenter ants can be entirely black or have a mixture of dark red and black, depending on the species. These ants have a single node between their thorax and abdomen and antenna that are long and thin. Some facts about carpenter ants include:

There can be 15,000 individual ants in a mature carpenter ant colony.
While their name implies that they fix things, these ants are only good at destroying wood. They bore tunnels through wood to create galleries for their nests, and can cause significant damage if not treated.
Though carpenter ants chew through wood, they do not eat wood like termites do. They feed on a wide variety of food both inside and outside of a home; and while they prefer to chew through rotted or “soft” wood, they can also chew into solid wood as well.

All About Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants are an extremely tiny ant at only 1/16 of an inch in length. They are mostly tan and have antenna that have an elbow in them. Pharaoh ants have two nodes between their abdomen and thorax–not that you’ll notice these features, being that pharaoh ants are so small. Things to know about pharaoh ants include:

First off, these are one of the hardest ants to control. This alone makes them a frustrating insect to deal with.
They also become a significant issue when they get into food storage areas.
Studies have proven that pharaoh ants are able to transmit more than 12 infectious organisms, making these insects a health issue for any structure in which food is stored or prepared.

Crazy Ants or Rasberry Ants

Crazy ants, also referred to as Rasberry ants or tawny crazy ants, are twice as big as pharaoh ants at ⅛ of an inch. If you’re able to see one of these ants up close, you’ll notice that it is brownish-red with light-colored bands on its abdomen and that they have a single node between the abdomen and thorax. Crazy ants are considered pests because:

These ants are best known for their ability to withstand the sting from fire ants and have been found living inside fire ant mounds as they slowly take over.
They hurt the environment because of the way they are reducing arthropods, such as spiders and centipedes, which are a primary food source for birds.
Crazy ants have been known to get into everything; and when they get into electronics, which they are attracted to, they can cause things to short-circuit.

Dangers of Argentine Ants

Argentine ants are a light to dark brown and range from ⅛–1/12 of an inch. These ants have a single node between their abdomen and thorax and only a slight elbow in their antennae. Some facts about Argentine ants include:

Because colonies are massive, they can become quite a nuisance when they nest in a moist area near a foundation wall and find an entry point to get inside.
An Argentine ant colony can have many reproductive queens and are prone to a process called “budding,” in which a colony will split due to a perceived threat.
These ants are omnivorous, meaning they can feed on a wide variety of foods and are more than capable of finding food sources in a home.

Common Ant Infestations

If you live in our Georgia service area, schedule a free inspection to determine what ants you have, and let the Active Pest Control ant experts design a pest plan to deal specifically with your problem. We know how frustrating these pests can be.