NOV ANTS RECOGNITION

CARPENTER ANTS size =

CARPENTER ANTS color =

CARPENTER ANTS antenna = # segmented, club = yes/no.

CARPENTER ANTS thorax = spines = yes/no

CARPENTER ANTS profile _ _ on _ side

CARPENTER ANTS pedicel # segmented

CARPENTER ANTS gaster with _ , surrounded by _

CARPENTER ANTS stinger = yes/no

Do not sting, but bites can be painful.

Carpenter. Odorous House. RIFA. Pavement.

Large, 1/8 to 1/2 inch, but vary greatly in size. Color combos black, red, brown. Antenna 12 segmented, no club. Thorax lacks spines, profile evenly rounded on upper side. Pedicel 1 segmented. Gaster with anal opening round, surrounded by circle of hairs. No stinger.

Carpenter. Odorous House. RIFA. Pavement.

Large, 1/8 to 1/2 inch, but vary greatly in size. Color combos black, red, brown. Antenna 12 segmented, no club. Thorax lacks spines, profile evenly rounded on upper side. Pedicel 1 segmented. Gaster with anal opening round, surrounded by circle of hairs. No stinger.

Carpenter. Odorous House. RIFA. Pavement.

Major structural invading species in mid Atlantic states and in mid western and mid southern regions.

Carpenter. Odorous House. RIFA. Pavement.

Small to medium, 1/16 to 1/8 inch. Color brown to black. Antenna 12 segmented, no club. Thorax lacks spines, profile unevenly rounded. Pedicel 1 segmented, with small node/segment hidden from view from above by base of gaster. Gaster with anal opening slitlike, lacking circle of hairs. No stinger.

Carpenter. Odorous House. RIFA. Pavement.

Two most important species of fire ant

Small to medium, 1/16 to 1/4 inch. Color yellowish, red, black. Antenna 10 segmented, 2 segmented club. Thorax lacks spines, profile unevenly rounded. Pedicel 2 segmented. Stinger extruded.

Carpenter. Odorous House. RIFA. Pavement.

Small to medium, 1/16 to 1/8 inch. Color light brown to black with paler legs and antennae. Head and thorax furrowed/grooved with parallel lines. Antenna 12 segmented, with 3 segmented club. Thorax with pair of small spines on upper back, profile unevenly rounded. Pedicel 2 segmented. Stinger present.

Carpenter. Odorous House. RIFA. Pavement.

...strongly implicated in the spread of various disease pathogens.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

small, 1/16 inch. Pale, yellowish, reddish. Abdomen darker to blackish.
Antenna 12 seg, with 3 seg club. Thorax lacks spines, profile unevely rounded.
Pedicel 2 seg. Stinger present.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

small, 1/16 inch. Varies from light to dark brown. Antenna 12 seg, no club.
Thorax no spines, profile unevely rounded. Pedicel 1 seg. Gaster with anal opening slitlike, lacking circle of hairs.
Stinger absent, but can bite when provoke.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

Workers emit a stale greasy or must odor when crushed.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

Gets its name from its very small size and jet black coloration.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

small, 1/16 inch. Dark brown to black, typically black. Antenna 12 seg, with 3 seg club.
Thorax lacks spines, profile unevenly rounded. Pedicel 2 seg. Stinger small and weak.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

Very similar to Pharoah, but are black instead of being yellowish reddish.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

Common name is decriptive of this ant's habit of raising the abdomen over the thorax and head, especially when disturbed.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

small to medium, 1/16 to 1/8 inch. Light brown to black, sometimes multicolored.
Thorax with 1 pair dorsal spines. Pedicel 2 seg, attached to upper side of gaster.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

Gaster heart shaped in dorsal view, broadest towards thorax and sharply pointed at rear.
Stinger present.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

Workers of many species emit a repulsive odor when alarmed.

Pharoah. Argentine. Little Black. Acrobat.

Names comes from workers' habit of running in an erratic, jerky manner when searching for food.

Crazy. Ghost. White Footed.

Found throughout US, but is confined to indoors in northern states because it cannot survive winter outdoors.

Crazy. Ghost. White Footed.

Small to medium, 1/16 to 1/8 inch. Dark brown to black with gray sheen/luster, slender.
Antenna and legs very long compared to body. Antenna 12 seg, no club.
1st antennal seg/scape length about 2x head length. Thorax lacks spines, profile unevenly rounded.
Pedicel 1 seg. Gaster with anal opening circular, surround by circle of hairs. Stinger absent.

Crazy. Ghost. White Footed.

Name comes from very hard to see because of its pale color and tiny size.

Crazy. Ghost. White Footed.

Small, 1/16 inch. Head/thorax = dark.
Antenna/pedicel/gaster/legs = pale.
Antennae 12 seg, segments gradually thicken towards tip.
Thorax no spines, profile not evenly rounded.
Pedicel 1 seg, hidden from above by base of gaster.
Gaster with anal opening slitlike, no circle of hairs.

Crazy. Ghost. White Footed.

Workers emit rotten, coconutlike odor when disturbed or crushed.

Crazy. Ghost. White Footed.

Name comes from very pale yellowish/almost white tarsi/feet.

Crazy. Ghost. White Footed.

Medium, 1/8 inch. Black, brownish black, antenna with apical segments usually paler,
and legs with pale yellowish/whitsh tarsi. Antenna 12 seg, no club.
Thorax no spines, profile unevenly rounded.
Pedicel 1 seg, but hidden from view from above by base of gaster.
Gaster with anal opening slitlike, no circle of hairs. No stinger.

Crazy. Ghost. White Footed.

A few species serve as intermediate hosts of tapeworms which infect turkeys, chickens, and domestic fowl.


Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

Small to medium, 1/16 to 1/4 inch.
Yellowish to light brown, yellowish red to dark reddish brown.
Some species with areas of dark red and/or black.
Antenna 12 seg, with 3 seg club.
Thorax with 2 spines on upper back, profile unevely rounded.
Pedicel 2 seg. Stinger present

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

Workers of some species emit an odor of mammalian feces when alarmed.

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

Largest genus of ants in North America, containing about 1/6 of entire ant fauna.

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

Commonly called Thatching ants because of their habit of constructing a mound or thatch of plant material, often grass.

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

Small to medium, 1/8 to 3/8 inch.
Combos yellowish to reddish brown to black.
Head with ocelli distinct, posterior border not indented.
Antenna 12 seg, without a club.
Thorax no spines, profile not evenly rounded on upper side.
Pediccel 1 seg, node usually rounded dorsally.
Gaster with anal opening round, surrounded by circle of hairs.
Stinger absent, but will bite and spray formic acid if provoked.

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

Name comes from behavior of collecting or seeds as their primary food source.

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

They are of concern in the urban setting because of their stings and their habit of removing all vegeation from around their nests causing large bare spots in lawns.

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

Medium to large, 1/4 to 1/2 inch.
Orange to reddish, reddish to dark brown to brownish black.
Antenna 12 seg, no club.
Head with psammophore.
Head and thorax furrowed/grooved with parallel lines.
Thorax alomst always with 1 pair of spines on top towards rear.
Profile not evenly rounded. Pedicel 2 seg.
Stinger present.

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.

Two species bicolored with head and thorax red, coupled with gaster brownish black or pedicel red/brown with gaster brown/black.

Big Headed. Field. Harvester.