Pharaoh Ants Identification Guide
Quick Facts About Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are tiny, pale ants that live entirely indoors in heated buildings. They’re among the hardest ants to control, because the wrong treatment makes a single colony split into many.- Size: About 1/16 inch
- Color: Pale yellow to light reddish-brown, with a darker abdomen
- Body: Two nodes at the waist
- Colonies: Many queens and many nests throughout a building
- Where found: Homes, apartments, hotels, hospitals, and nursing homes
- Diet: Sweets, grease, and protein
What Do Pharaoh Ants Look Like?
They’re so small and pale that they’re easy to miss until you see a trail.Pharaoh Ants vs. Thief Ants
Thief ants are similarly tiny and yellowish, but they usually nest outdoors or in other ants’ nests, and they prefer grease and protein. Pharaoh ants nest indoors year-round. Telling them apart can take magnification. See our thief ant guide.
Why Sprays Make Pharaoh Ants Worse
A pharaoh ant colony has many queens. When a repellent spray or cleaner disturbs it, groups of workers carry queens and brood to new locations and start new colonies. This budding is why pharaoh ant problems often spread from one room to an entire building after a DIY treatment. The right approach is slow-acting bait, with no sprays at all.
Where Pharaoh Ants Nest
- Wall voids and behind baseboards and outlet covers
- Near warm spots such as water heaters, refrigerators, and heating pipes
- Inside cabinets, between stacked linens, and in stored boxes
- In bathrooms and kitchens near water
- Throughout multi-unit buildings, traveling along plumbing and wiring
Health & Property Risks
Pharaoh ants can carry bacteria and are a particular concern in hospitals and healthcare facilities, where they can contaminate sterile supplies. In homes, they get into food and are difficult to get rid of.
How to Get Rid of Pharaoh Ants
- Don’t spray: Avoid repellent sprays and strong cleaners on trails.
- Use baits: Slow-acting baits placed along trails and near nests are carried back to all the queens.
- Treat the whole building: In apartments and connected spaces, the colony often extends beyond one unit.
- Expect time: Full control can take weeks.
Because budding is so easy to trigger, pharaoh ants are best handled by a professional. See our ant control services, or for apartments and multi-unit properties, apartment pest control.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the tiny yellow ants in my house?
They’re often pharaoh ants, which nest indoors in warm spots, or thief ants. Pharaoh ants are pale yellow to light reddish-brown and about 1/16 inch long.
Why did my pharaoh ant problem get worse after spraying?
Sprays disturb the colony, and because it has many queens, it splits into several new colonies. This is called budding.
How do you get rid of pharaoh ants?
With slow-acting baits placed along trails and near nests, and no repellent sprays. Large infestations are best handled by a professional.
Where do pharaoh ants live?
Indoors, in warm protected spots such as wall voids, behind baseboards, and near water heaters and appliances.
Are pharaoh ants dangerous?
They don’t sting, but they can carry bacteria and contaminate food, and they’re a serious concern in healthcare facilities.
