Pavement Ant Print
Grooves are present on head and thorax. Stinger present at tip of abdomen.

Feeding Habits
These ants feed on a wide variety of different foods, including dead insects, greasy foods, seeds and sweets. They are commonly seen crawling by the hundreds over any bit of food dropped on a floor or on the ground outside. Many times this is the first hint of an ant infestation.

Key Inspection Tips
This pest ant derives its name from its habit of nesting beside and under sidewalks, driveways and building foundations. In areas where this ant is prevalent, any mound of displaced soil on or along a paved area is likely to be the pavement ant. The nests are found outdoors in the soil beneath stones, along the edges of curbing, and in cracks in the pavement, especially when the latter is next to the lawn. Colonies can also be found under almost any item lying on top of the ground including stones, logs, boards, firewood and cardboard. Field stones, bricks and patio blocks set in the soil to make pathways and patios are an ideal site for pavement ant colonies. Pavement ants will also readily nest in mulch in landscaping beds and under heavy piles of leaf litter.

Inside structures, they are commonly found foraging under the edge of carpets and the bottom of baseboards where the infestation is not easily visible. Pavement ants are observed in greatest numbers during the summer, but can be found foraging inside heated buildings throughout the year. Activity on counters and around trash containers is common and any bit of food dropped on the floor can literally become black with ants within a short time. One of the more common places to find pavement ants entering a structure is the expansion joint in the slab inside along the bottom of sliding glass doors. This expansion joint is usually hidden by carpeting. Once the edge of the carpeting is pulled up enough to allow inspection, workers and piles of soil can be observed.

Natural Pest Control
A starting point to help keep ant infestations to a minimum is to use simple, natural methods such as; seal as many cracks in the exterior walls as possible; if possible, a vegetation-free border should be installed around the base of the foundation to make the area less attractive to ants and to make inspections of the foundation easier; cracks in slab floors should be sealed with a high-quality compound, where possible, to help prevent ants from entering a structure from under the slab; remove unused items such as boards, bricks, stones and logs.

Please call Vanish Pest Control to arrange for one of our Bay Area pest control experts to come help you exterminate your ant problems