Pavement Ants

What do pavement ants look like

Adult pavement ant workers are approximately 1/8 of an inch in length. Queens are slightly larger and can grow to be about 3/8 of an inch in length. The reproductive members of the colony are winged and have distinctive, fine furrows (grooves) on the head and thorax. Worker pavement ants vary slightly in color from dark brown to black. Their head and thorax also have grooved parallel lines, and they have a pair of small spines extending out from the rear end of their thorax. This type of ant is equipped with a stinger, but these ants are fairly docile and rarely sting.

Where are pavement ants found?

As their name suggests, pavement ants nest in cracks of pavement and cement. Their nests can be found along driveways, under and along sidewalks, under concrete slabs, and underneath foundations. As they create their nests, they will pile the excavated dirt up on or next to the pavement or cement they are nesting near. Pavement ants may travel along pipes and other utilities to get inside your Quad City home. Once inside, they can be found nesting in walls, insulation, under floors, and in ground-level masonry walls near heat sources.

What do pavement ants eat?

Pavement ants are attracted to properties that offer them easy access to food sources like garbage, compost piles, and garden areas. Pavement ants feed on a wide variety of food including sweets, fruits, grease, and dead insects.

DIY pavement ant prevention and control tips

There are several steps that you can take to help prevent pavement ants from being attracted to your property and gaining entrance to your house. Remove fallen trees, logs, rocks, and other debris that they could nest under. It is also important to make sure that firewood piles are stored up off the ground and away from your home. Outside trash cans should have locking lids on them and be stored a good distance away from the outside of your home. To stop pavement ants from getting inside, seal cracks and crevices found in your home’s foundation, caulk gaps around windows and doors, and seal the spaces found around pipes that enter your home. It is also a great idea to install door sweeps underneath all exterior doors.