Middle TN’s Most Wanted: The Ant List

Here at All-American Pest Control we have a slightly different take on a most wanted list. And with the official start to spring just days away, we wanted to make sure you were prepared for one of spring's most invasive pests, ants! We have compiled a list of the most wanted ant species for breaking and entering in Middle TN homes, stealing food from the kitchen, and even forming their nests inside of the home or nearby on the property.

Carpenter ants - Often compared to termites, these large black ants are a wood destroying pest capable of causing extensive and expensive structural damage. But instead of eating wood like termites, carpenter ants carve galleries into food to build their nests.

Acrobat ants - Sometimes found cleaning out the galleries that carpenter ants have made in wood, acrobat ants get their name for their habit of raising their abdomen up above their head when they feel threatened.

Little black ants - Often found along sidewalks and the walls of foundations, little black ants enjoy meats, grease and oily foods. But they will settle for whatever is lurking in your kitchen. And being so small, any cracks along the foundation of the home are an open door for these critters.

Odorous house ants - A very common ant species found in your home. These small reddish brown and black colored ants will be searching for food (mainly sweets) in the kitchen and they as their name suggests, if threatened or crushed, odorous house ants will emit a foul smelling odor.

Pavement ants - Also found foraging for food in the kitchen or around the property, pavement ants are dark brown or black in color and very small. They form their colonies in the cracks of pavement.

Pharaoh ants - Most known for building nests in buildings near heating sources. These tiny yellow and red colored ants are a serious problem in hospitals and other facilities. They are very difficult to control because their colonies are very large, up to several million ants!

Crazy ants - As their name suggests, crazy ants are known for their more erratic foraging patterns. While most ants follow a pretty straight line, crazy ants are all over the place.

Bigheaded ants - You guessed it, they have big heads! In addition, bigheaded ants have two different types of workers. Major workers use large jaws to break down food and the minor workers feed the colony. They usually form nests outdoors under rocks or logs but are often found foraging for food inside of homes.

Fire ants - A yard pest because they form their colonies in the ground. Fire ants are dangerous because they will sting if they feel threatened and often times the whole colony will join in when set off by say your foot stepping on their home.

There you have it, Nashville and Middle Tennessee’s most want ants. If you find any of these ants inside your home or invading your property, please contact us right away. Our team of Nashville exterminators are ready to battle even the worst of ant infestations and return your home to a pest free space with our Perimeter Pest Control and Fire Ant Reduction programs.