Pavement Ants

What do pavement ants look like?

Pavement ants are about 1/10 to 1/8 of an inch long and are dark brown to black. As with all ants, they have three distinct body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. Between the thorax and abdomen are two nodes on a petiole. The nodes look like bumps, and the petiole is a thin fiber. You’ll have to look closely to see these details because these ants are tiny.

What do pavement ants eat?

Pavement ants live on a diverse diet. Often called sugar ants, these ants like sweet food sources. In your yard, they’ll eat nectar from flowering plants and weeds. They may also subsist on honeydew produced by plant-damaging insects like aphids.

When pavement ants come indoors, they feed on sugar, honey, jelly, bread, crackers, and other sweet foods, but they are not limited to these. They also eat meat, grease, pet food, dead insects, and more.  

Where do pavement ants nest?

The name says it all. Pavement ants nest in the soil underneath pavement, sidewalks, stones, foundation slabs, and other hard objects. When they enter homes, they often nest in floor voids. If you have an indoor nest, you may see dirt leaking out of baseboard cracks and other crevices. You may also find these ants creating ant trails daily. 

Do pavement ants bite or sting?

No, pavement ants do not sting. These ants are primarily a nuisance pest and are not aggressive toward humans. However, pavement ants have jaws (mandibles) that they use to bite, which they may do if they feel threatened. Their bites are not painful and rarely irritate.

Can pavement ants damage my property?

These ants are not a threat to property. While they do nest underneath foundation slabs and other structures, the amount of dirt they displace is negligible, and the nests they create are not deep. It would take several colonies of pavement ants to displace enough dirt to crack a foundation. 

How do pavement ants get into my home?

Pavement ants enter homes through available cracks and holes. Here are a few examples:

• Gaps under exterior doors where sweeps are damaged or missing
• Gaps around exterior doors where gaps have formed in weatherstrips
• Gaps around exterior door or window frames
• Holes or rips in window or door screens
• Gaps around screen frames
• Open windows or doors
• Gaps around AC lines or pipes
• Damaged stucco, concrete, stone, or wood building materials
• Cracked foundations
• An unprotected weep hole or exterior vent
  

These ants will first access entry points near the ground. They are also prone to entering through higher entry points, particularly where landscape vegetation touches exterior walls.

What attracts pavement ants?

Many attractants can bring these ants onto your property and into your home. Here are some to consider:

• Fruit on the ground
• Nuts or seeds
• Honeydew created by aphids or scale insects
• Nectar in flowering weeds
• Food left out near the grill
• Uncovered trash receptacles
• Pet food in outdoor food bowls
  

In addition, insect populations can attract pavement ants because these ants eat dead insects. Therefore, it is important to consider factors that increase insect populations, such as exterior light. Keep lights off to reduce insect activity.

Pavement ants are also attracted to moisture. Poor irrigation that fails to channel water away from your exterior during periods of heavy rain can lead to damp conditions that attract pavement ants.

Inside homes, pavement ants are attracted to:

• Crumbs on the floor
• Powdered foods on shelves
• Dirty dishes
• Uncovered trash cans
• Pet food in dishes
• Leaky faucets
  

Sanitation and plumbing repair can help deter pavement ant problems.

How do I get rid of pavement ants?

If you’ve spotted pavement ants in or around your home, contact Termio Pest Control for effective home pest control services in the Phoenix area. Our local pest control specialists have the tools and experience to eliminate and prevent pavement ants from taking over. 

How can I prevent pavement ants?

Whether you currently have ants coming into your home or you want to prevent them from entering in the first place, take the following steps to deter these nuisance ants:

Clean interior spaces and store food properly

• Vacuum and sweep floors.
• Wipe down counters.
• Clean the sides of your oven.
• Do not leave dirty dishes in the sink.
• Keep food covered when left on your counter.
• Store certain foods in sealed containers.
• Establish a mealtime for pets and refrain from having food down all the time.
• Clean your kitchen trash receptacle and keep it covered.
• Consider using scented bags for your trash.

Consider moisture as an indoor attractant

• Repair faucets or showerheads that leak.
• Repair your garbage disposal if it weeps.
• Install dehumidifiers if needed.
• Use ventilation systems.

Seal your exterior

• Update weather-proofing.
• Update screens.
• Apply pest-proofing materials around utilities, doors, and windows.
• Fill in structural gaps with expanding foam.