Pharaoh Ant
Pharaoh ants are well-known troublemakers. They are notorious for getting into places they shouldn’t be because they are small and can chew through plastic bags or wiring. This can cause a big problem in hospitals when they find their way into sterile environments or even into IV bags.
I’m going to tell you some things about why Pharaoh ants are so different from other types of ants. First, their colonies have multiple queens and they have a different reproductive cycle than most ants. So what, you say? Well, get lucky enough to find a queen and kill her, you still have not eliminated the
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Pharaoh ants can build their nests in wall voids, baseboards, under floors, in trash containers, under stones, and dark, warm areas near water pipes. Hospitals, apartment buildings, hotels, and grocery stores are often plagued with pharaoh ants. They build new colonies quick and resist treatment by condensing several colonies into one colony. Several separate Pharaoh ant colonies living close together sometimes makes it appear as if there is one huge colony. If the nests are under attack by a predator or a pesticide, the colonies can unite to “weather the storm”. This resilience makes it difficult to eliminate the colony and can take up to a year to effectively treat a large pharaoh ant infestation.
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If you can’t follow instructions on the bait, don’t start the project. You’ll just make it worse. Call a professional pest control company to do the job for you
Comments
01 Sep 2008, 09:15
How would a pharaoh ant get in to my 3rd floor flat? It's an old building though. Would they already be there - how long would they be there before you notice them in large numbers?
We're clean people so I think it was the last tenants!
Thanks!
01 Sep 2008, 22:10
Pharaoh ants are very small and light in color so you might not notice them until they have really established themselves.
Don't spray them with pesticides. They have the nasty habit of splitting up into multiple colonies when they get sprayed. You'll need to use baits.
27 Sep 2008, 23:03
They change their trail to go around the MaxForce FC trap.
I've tried to be patient with the ants, but the black ones downstairs started an aphid farm in my ivy plant. It was interesting at first, but it turns out to be bad for the plant. And, it's just a little too anty around here (she typed as two ants checked her keyboard for crumbs).
The ants have got to go. Any ideas of how to comprehensively get rid of them?
Thanks,
Tricia
29 Sep 2008, 13:56
I have heard of totally different types of ants being able to tolerate the presence of each other, but it is not the norm.
What you are describing, however, sounds like different species of ants within the same colony. Remember, there are the worker ants and there are the reproductive ants. The reproductive ants usually start out with wings and are larger. There are even types of ants with different sizes of workers in the same colony. Color may vary, as well.
Lastly, ants may change their eating habits with the season. Sometimes they are attracted to sweets, while at other times they are searching for protein-based foods. The fact that they are trailing under the toilet tells me they are seeking moisture. Better have someone check the base of the toilet for a leak.
07 Oct 2008, 17:43
08 Oct 2008, 09:11
My suggestion would be to buy several different baits. Read the label. It must specifically mention Pharaoh ants as one of the target pests. There are some non-repellent liquid sprays like Phantom, but you will have a hard time buying it. Pest control professionals often use it to control these ants.
Pharaoh ants can bite, but they do not sting like Fire ants. The overhanging trees should be cut back off the roofline to prevent other pests such as Carpenter ants.


