Common Ants in Florida

Florida has many different kinds of pests, best known being the mosquitos and the roaches. Lesser known (but just as prevalent) are the many different kinds of ants Florida tends to have. When moving to Florida, many don’t consider ant infestations one of the bigger problems they made face. There are nine main types of ants that are found around Florida.

 

Carpenter Ants

Large reddish-black ants that tend to tunnel through wood to create nest, though they don’t eat it. They are commonly seen without wings, but if they are, it can indicate a swarm nearby. Carpenter ants primarily feed on insect honeydew, plant juices, and other insects, but will also eat sweets, grease, and other food found in your home. A rustling or crinkling sound from within walls or wood can signal a nest.

 

Red Imported Fire Ants

Red Imported Fire Ants are ants that are invasive ant species native to South America that has become a significant pest in the southern United States and other parts of the world. These reddish-brown ants build dome like mounds in sunny open areas and are known to aggressively defend their nests and attack or sting in large numbers. When they sting, their venom can cause anaphylaxis if the person stung has an allergy. They feed on crops like corn and soybeans and are known to make impacts to native wildlife as well as cost a lot of economic damages with the treatments needed for crops as well as ruined batches if needed.

 

Ghost Ants

They are bi-colored, with a dark brown or black head and thorax and a milky white or translucent gaster (abdomen), legs, and antennae. When crushed, they emit a distinctive, foul, coconut-like odor. Workers are extremely small, about 1.3 to 1.5 mm in length. These ants prefer warm, humid locations both indoors and outdoors. Indoors, they nest in wall voids, behind cabinets, and in baseboards. Preferring outdoors, they nest in soil, under debris, and in plant cavities. Colonies can be moderate to large and may have multiple nests, making them hard to track and eliminate. They primarily feed on sweet substances, greasy foods, and other insects like aphids. 

 

Argentine Ants

They are small, about 2–3 mm long, and light to dark brown. These ants form long trails and can be found in large numbers. They build shallow nests in moist areas under objects like rocks, mulch, and logs. Their diet is general and includes sweets, insects, seeds, and honeydew. They can bite but do not have a stinger. When crushed, the bigger ants emit a faint musty odor. Argentine ants are highly aggressive towards other ant species, outcompeting them for resources and leading to declines in native populations. They negatively impact plants by neglecting the dispersal and protection of seeds that native ants once cared for. 

Pharaoh Ants

These ants are light yellow to reddish, with darker markings on the abdomen and have a smooth appearance and a distinct, club-shaped antennae. Preferring warm, humid, and dark places, frequently nesting inside wall voids, behind baseboards, under floors, and in electrical outlets. They are omnivorous, feeding on sweets, fats, proteins, and dead insects. They are known to infest food and can also be attracted to things like medical bandages. Pharoah ants can travel long distances through pipes, wires, and utility lines, allowing them to spread throughout entire buildings. 

Tawny Crazy Ants

The ant is about 3 mm (or about 1/8 inches) long, thus smaller than the red imported fire ants. It is covered with reddish-brown hairs. Their larvae are plump and hairy, with a specific conformation of mouthparts and unique mandible morphology that allows for precise species identification. The colonies live under stones or piles; they have no centralized nests, beds, or mounds. They tend aphids for honeydew, feed on small insects and vertebrates, and forage on plants, especially for sweet materials. The ants appear to prefer the warmth and moisture of the coast.

 

White-Footed Ants

Their appearance is black to brownish-black ants with yellowish-white feet and a single-segmented waist with small, with a body length of about 2.5-3 mm. They form steady, persistent trails, often following scent trails along walls or trees to find food. Nests are commonly found under leaves, in loose mulch, under debris, in tree holes, and under palm fronds. They frequently nest inside homes in wall voids, attics, and behind siding or brick. Colonies can be very large and interconnected, with multiple satellite nests that make them difficult to eliminate. 

 

Pavement Ants

The species is commonly known as the “pavement ant” because workers are commonly found in pavements or roads, usually searching for food. There’s not much known about these ants.

 

Odorous House Ants

Uniformly brown to black, the workers are about 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. A strong, rotten coconut-like smell is released when they are crushed. These ants are monomorphic (all workers are about the same size), 12-segmented antennae without a club, and an uneven thorax. They enter homes in search of food and water, are often found near moisture sources, in wall voids near pipes, or in kitchens and food storage areas, and colonies can be large, sometimes numbering from 100 to 10,000 ants both indoors and outdoors. 

Expert Insight:

Written by a licensed pest control professional with hands-on experience serving residential and commercial properties in Citrus County Florida, supported by consistent positive customer reviews on Google.

If you are having trouble with ants or any other pests, call Turbo Pest Solutions at (352) 345-7572