There are approximately 580 species of Ants in North America!
Trying to list them all would be impossible. 🙂
Below are the most common and abundant types of ants, which are part of the insect family Formicidae.
#1. Black Carpenter Ant
- Camponotus pennsylvanicus
- Adults are dull black and have distinctive white or yellowish hairs on their abdomens.
- The largest workers are 0.2-0.6 inches (0.5-1.6 cm) long.
- Non-worker reproductive males and females have wings.
Black Carpenter Ants are the most common ants in eastern and central North America.
You can find them in grasslands, deciduous forests, and urban and suburban areas. As their name suggests, they prefer to build their nests in wood, often using decaying logs, deciduous trees, or wood structures.
Black Carpenter Ants aren’t picky eaters and feed on other insects, trash, nectar, fruit, and fungi.
These ants are surprisingly long-lived! While reproductive males usually die shortly after mating, workers may live for seven or more years. Queens can live for over ten years.
#2. American Winter Ant
- Adults range from light to dark brown, often with a darker abdomen.
- When viewed from the side, they have an hourglass or peanut shape.
- The abdomen of worker ants is often large and swollen from reserves when foraging.
The American Winter Ant earned its name for its unique ability to move about and forage in temperatures that send other ants into their nests for shelter. When other ants are foraging in the summer, they usually seal themselves into their nests and enter a hibernation-like state.
They may seem insignificant, but these insects are essential to our forests. Many native wildflowers like bloodroot, trillium, and violets depend on this ant for survival. The plants have a calorie-dense appendage attached to each seed, encouraging the ants to harvest and transport them to a new location.
American Winter Ants can also withstand invasive ant species in North America!
This is partially because of their ability to forage at cool temperatures and their defensive capabilities. They are aggressive with other ants and produce abdominal secretions that are lethal to many other ant species, including the invasive Argentine ant (Linepithema humile).
#3. Immigrant Pavement Ant
- Workers are dark brown to blackish.
- They have longitudinal, parallel ridges on their head and thorax.
Immigrant Pavement Ants thrive in urban areas of North America. These European natives like building underground nests in areas with little vegetation. Consequently, you’ll often see them nesting near sidewalks, patios, foundations, and pavement.
Each of about 1000 ants defends a territory of around 460 square feet (43 m2). It’s common to see colonies battling for territory boundaries, especially in spring, as new colonies are established. The workers also forage for honeydew excreted by aphids, seeds, insects, fruit, and human food like bread and cheese.
Gardeners may be happy to see immigrant pavement ants around their property since they are significant predators of coddling moth larvae, a major agricultural pest in North America.
#4. Odorous House Ant
- Adult workers are usually a uniform color ranging from brown to black.
- They have a distinct rotten odor when crushed.
Odorous house ants are incredibly widespread because they can adapt to nearly any habitat in North America. They tolerate various habitats from sea level to 13,000 feet (4000 m) of elevation and occupy urban areas, forests, grasslands, bogs, and sandy coastal areas.
These ants are also commonly seen in homes in North America.
And they aren’t just searching for a comfortable place to live; odorous house ants love sweets! In the wild, they tend to feed on aphid honeydew and flower nectar, but they will gladly take advantage of human food when available.
They often nest outside on stumps, rocks, matted grass, and other debris but use cracks and termite-damaged wood found in homes. Interestingly, these nests aren’t stationary.
Odorous house ants tend to move their nests about every 21 days. They also tend to coexist peacefully with other ant species rather than strictly defend a territory.
#5. Dark Rover Ant
- Adult workers are very small and uniformly brown.
- Their antennae have nine segments.
- They have relatively large eyes and long hairs on their backs.
Native to South America, the dark rover ant made its way north in the 1970s. Dark rover ants are often considered a nuisance species because they build nests in gardens or homes. In urban areas, it’s common for them to use mulch and manufactured structures to build nests. In hot, dry climates, these ants tend to be drawn to the moisture in kitchens and bathrooms. Thankfully, they don’t bite, sting, or carry any diseases.
These ants have spread into North America because they sometimes form “supercolonies.”
Rather than have a single nest with one queen, occasionally, a colony will form multiple nests, sometimes with hundreds of reproductive queens.
Additionally, dark rover ants peaceably coexist with other native and introduced species, including those usually intolerant of other ants. They also help control another invasive species, the cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum).
#6. Chestnut Carpenter Ant
- Adult workers are glossy and mostly orangish-red, with darker heads.
- They have smooth thoraxes, square heads, and abdomens separated by a single node.
Chestnut carpenter ants are one of the easiest ants in North America to identify.
They’re called chestnut or red hazelnut carpenter ants for their rich, orangish-red coloration.
Unlike some ants, chestnut carpenter ants don’t tend to be a nuisance to humans. This is partially because they tend to live in forests and other less populated areas.
These ants like it warm! In the winter, they go into a hibernation-like state in their nest called diapause. They tend to enter this state during the first cool days of fall, much earlier than other ant species. Interestingly, colonies may still go into diapause in the southern parts of their range, like Florida, where it stays relatively warm year-round.
Chestnut carpenter ants have long lifespans once a colony is established. Individual workers can live for several years, and queens can live for over a decade!
#7. Ferruginous Carpenter Ant
- Adult workers are relatively large.
- They have black abdomens and heads with deep red legs and midsections.
- They have short, gold hairs on their bodies, making them appear shiny.
These ants are primarily active at night in North America.
The workers spend the nighttime hours foraging for food. They feed mainly on sweet foods like nectar, the honeydew secreted by aphids, juice from berries and fruit, and sap from certain plants.
Ferruginous carpenter ants got their name from their preference for making nests under the bark of decaying trees or in rotting stumps and logs, sometimes tunneling into the wood.
Though other carpenter ant species sometimes damage houses, ferruginous carpenter ants aren’t usually a significant nuisance for humans. While they are occasionally found in urban areas, these bi-colored ants are forest dwellers. They thrive in mixed, hardwood, and pine forests where they can find plenty of suitable nesting sites.
#8. Florida Carpenter Ant
- Large adult workers may reach up to 1/2 inch (13 mm) long.
- They are bi-colored with a black abdomen and a reddish-orange forebody.
- Their antennae have 12 segments.
Florida carpenter ants are among the largest ants in North America.
They tend to live in relatively large colonies, often reaching 8,000 or more individual ants after just two to three years.
Within the colony, the workers are divided into castes, with workers of different sizes performing different tasks. For example, the smallest often care for the queen and brood, while the largest ants, the major workers, defend the nest.
Many mid-sized workers spend most of their time foraging, usually at night or in heavy shade. They’re omnivorous and will feed on other insects and sweet food like flower nectar and the honeydew secreted by aphids. Interestingly, these ants often defend the aphids so they keep producing honeydew.
If you spot a Florida carpenter ant nest, know they don’t take intruders lightly. These fast-moving, large, aggressive ants quickly swarm anything that disturbs their nest. Using their large mandibles, they can break the skin and will also spray toxic formic acid.
#9. Graceful Twig Ant
- Workers are slender, wasp-like, and up to 0.4 inches (10mm) long.
- They are dark colored on the head and abdomen, while their legs, body, mouth, and antennae are dull orange with dark shading.
- Their midsection or petiole has two segments, and their antennae have 12 segments.
These ants in North America are well known for their painful sting.
The graceful twig ant’s appearance is wasp-like, and its bi-colored pattern may serve as a warning to would-be predators.
These intimidating ants thrive in many habitats, including rainforests, mangroves, fields, and dry forests. Their diet is similarly varied and includes live insects, fungal spores, and honeydew secreted by aphids. They sometimes tend or farm the aphids, keeping them safe so that they continue to produce honeydew.
Graceful twig ants usually nest in existing cavities. They use hollows in plant stalks, dead branches, or twigs. Often, these hollows have been created by other insects like long-horned beetles. Be careful if you come across one. Graceful twig ants quickly swarm and sting anyone who disturbs their nest.
#10. Texas Leafcutter Ant
- Workers are rust-brown and up to 1/2 inch (12mm) long.
- They have three prominent pairs of spines on their backs.
Texas leafcutter ants are considered major agricultural pests. The workers collect leaves and buds from various plants, including weeds, grasses, and, most notably, citrus trees.
A single colony of these ants in North America can defoliate a tree in less than 24 hours!
You might think the ants eat the leaves themselves, but the truth is much more interesting. Instead, worker ants chew them into a fine paste, which is used to grow massive underground fungus gardens. They carefully manage and tend these fungus gardens so that all members of the colony can feed on the fungus.
It may sound like an odd strategy, but these ants are highly successful. A single mature colony can contain over two million ants! Their nests can reach 15 to 20 feet deep and contain numerous chambers and interconnected passageways.
These colonies are generally easy to find. They’re particularly common in well-drained, sandy, or loamy soil. On the surface of the ground, you’ll find many 5 to 14-inch tall, 1 to 1-1/2 foot diameter dirt or sand mounds with central openings.
#11. Common Citronella Ant
- Workers are typically yellow and less than 0.15 inches (4 mm) long.
- When threatened or crushed, they emit a citronella odor.
- They have 12 segmented antennae, sparse hairs on their heads and bodies, and a single node connecting their upper body and abdomen.
Common citronella ants look and smell like the larger citronella ant (Lasius interjectus), another ant species in North America. Their only real variation is their slight size difference. Larger citronella ants may reach 0.2 inches (4.5 mm) long.
Interestingly, these ants don’t usually build nests themselves. The queens infiltrate the nest of a different ant species, kill the queen, and use the workers to care for the initial brood of eggs. This takes an enormous burden off the queen and gives the colony a jump start. Because of this “shortcut,” colonies can quickly become enormous and spread over large sections of forest.
You can find colonies of common citronella ants in gardens, lawns, open woodlands, pastures, and near house foundations. The nests are often positioned under an object like a stone, log, or stump for cover.
#12. Bearded Carpenter Ant
- They have a dark reddish-brown head, body, and legs.
- They have a distinctly striped abdomen with light and dark bands.
- Workers are relatively small for carpenter ant species.
These ants usually live in woodlands in North America.
Here, they can find ample places to nest with lots of protection from predators and weather. Like many carpenter ants, they prefer to build nests in decaying stumps, logs, and dead trees. They don’t eat the wood; they tunnel into it. They will also build nests in the ground, usually near stumps or trees.
Since they don’t inhabit or damage homes and other buildings, these colorful creatures are not considered a pest to homeowners.
Bearded carpenter ants are easy to identify by their beautiful banded abdomens. They have alternating lines of light tan or yellowish and dark brown.
#13. Buren’s Pyramid Ant
- Workers are generally orangish and may have a darker abdomen.
- They have a pyramid-shaped projection on their back and 12-segmented antennae.
- These ants emit a foul smell when crushed. It’s often compared to coconut.
Buren’s pyramid ants are partial to recently disturbed habitats. Look for them in areas such as lawns, roadsides, sandhills, dunes, fields, pastures, and scrubland.
It’s also common to spot them near other ant species in North America.
Buren’s pyramid ants like to construct their nests in open clearings with sandy soil, so they often place their nest entrance in the cleared zone around a nest of harvester ants. The excavated dirt forms a circular pile around their entrance hole.
If you have fire ants or other undesirable species, these are the ants you want around. Researchers have observed Buren’s pyramid ants attacking individual fire ant workers and newly mated fire ant queens. They even leave “bone piles” of their victims outside their nests!
They’re fast-moving and orange-colored, which can be intimidating to those who aren’t big ant fans. Thankfully, these ants aren’t aggressive towards humans.
#14. Longhorn Crazy Ant
- The workers are grayish-black or brownish-black.
- They have pale brown legs and long, 12-segmented antennae.
- They have numerous coarse hairs on their body and a small circle of hair on the tip of their abdomen.
This may be the most widespread ant species in North America and even the world!
Longhorn crazy ants are originally native to the tropics but easily adapt and make themselves at home in disturbed areas, urban areas, and inside buildings.
They are called crazy ants because of their erratic movement patterns. Rather than traveling in straight lines like many ant species, these ants rush around with seemingly no pattern or direction.
Part of their success in spreading worldwide may be due to their varied omnivorous diet. Longhorn crazy ants will feed on seeds, plant sap, fruit, dead insects, honeydew secretions from aphids and other insects, and human household scraps and waste.
Thankfully, these ants don’t pose any threat to humans. However, they can bite enemies to defend the colony and bend their abdomens to aim and shoot formic acid at them.
#15. Large Imported Big-headed Ant
- Workers are very large, dark ants.
- They have noticeably enlarged heads, and the first piece of their antennae is long and thick.
- The different colony members have a vast size disparity, with major workers nearly double the size of minor workers.
This ant was first introduced to North America in the 1950s.
It has been much slower to expand its range than other invasive ant species. Large imported big-headed ants typically nest in open, disturbed habitats. Their nests are usually easy to spot, with a large, conspicuous crater of excavated soil around the entrance.
Despite their slow expansion, these ants are tough! Unlike many species, they readily attack fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) and often outcompete them to win food. They’re also voracious predators that will team up to attack and carry large prey like caterpillars back to their nest. There are even some reports that they may try to eat nestling birds!
Despite these aggressive tendencies, large imported big-headed ants are omnivores. In addition to live prey, they also seek seeds and honeydew secreted from insects. If available, they will also feed on fruit, human scraps, and carrion.
#16. Northern Fungus-farming Ant
- Trachymyrmex septentrionalis
- Workers are relatively small and brownish-yellow to medium reddish-brown.
- Their heads are slightly broader than they are long.
- They have rounded abdomens.
Northern forest fungus-farming ants live in open oak and pine woodlands in North America. One of the easiest ways to recognize these ants is to look for their nest. When they excavate soil, they make a pile that forms a crescent shape around half of the nest rather than a circle around the whole nest like most other ants.
Their nest is even more interesting on the inside! This is where the ants do much of their work. Foraging workers bring back pieces of leaves and other plant material, which the ants chew into a paste to feed and maintain a fungus garden.
All of the ants in the colony rely on the fungus as their sole food source.
Scientists believe that these ants play an important role in our forests. Their excavation and fungus farming process brings minerals and nutrients in the soil to the surface, making them accessible to plants, other fungi, and bacteria.
#17. New York Carpenter Ant
- Camponotus novaeboracensis
- Workers are large and may grow up to 0.62 inches (16 mm) long.
- Their abdomens and heads are black, while their thorax or body is red or reddish-brown.
- Their legs are a dark reddish-brown.
New York carpenter ants may be the fastest-growing ant species in North America! They occur in moist woodlands, on the edges of bogs, and in wetlands. As their name suggests, they prefer to build their nests in wood. Usually, they create tunnels in stumps, logs, or old houses.
While they don’t eat wood, only tunnel and nest in it, they have voracious appetites! New York carpenter ants will feed on almost anything they find, including carrion, beetle larvae, honeydew, flower nectar, human scraps, and other insects like roaches and fruit flies.
Watch the video below to see them collect honeydew from aphids!
#18. Allegheny Mound Ant
- Workers’ heads and thoraxes or bodies are reddish-orange, while their abdomens are brownish-black.
- The rear margins of their heads are concave.
- Workers are relatively small but may reach 0.25 inches (6.4 mm) long.
Allegheny mound ants build some of the largest mounds of any ant in North America!
These impressive mounds of soil can reach 3-9 ft (0.9-2.7 m) in diameter and about 2 ft (0.6 m) tall, though some historical records indicate even larger mounds.
These mounds serve primarily as protection for the queens and an incubating chamber for eggs and larvae. They have tunnels that may also extend about four feet into the ground.
Allegheny mound ants show a strong preference for open, sunny habitats. They tend to nest on strip mines and ridge tops. They also work hard to keep their territory open and free of brush or other plants.
These ants inject formic acid into trees and shrubs, killing any vegetation within 40-50 ft (12-15 m) of their mounds.
They sometimes form supercolonies in ideal habitats with interconnected mounds spread over a fairly large territory. These supercolonies can contain millions of ants and may persist for decades!
#19. Argentine Ant
- Workers are reddish-brown, occasionally darkening to black at the tips of their abdomens.
- They have a single node or petiole between their body and abdomen and heads that are longer than wide.
- Workers are small and relatively hairless.
According to the Global Invasive Species Database, Argentine ants are among the world’s 100 worst invasive animals. Native to South America, these ants are now found on every continent except Antarctica!
A crucial reason for their success is their ability to create what scientists call “megacolonies.” Unlike many other ant species, Argentine ants aren’t aggressive or competitive with other ants of the same species. Instead, they form extensive networks of interrelated colonies, and each colony has multiple queens. Studies have shown that these super colonies may extend for hundreds of miles! Their cooperation means they spend less time and resources defending nests and more time foraging.
While Argentine ants aren’t aggressive and don’t directly harm humans like fire ants, they have some significant negative impacts. These ants farm pests like aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects and eat the larvae of many essential pollinators. Both these factors decrease crop yields.
#20. Red Harvester Ant
- Workers vary from light to dark red.
- They have broad, boxy heads with hairs on their undersides and 12-segmented antennae.
- Their waists are divided into two parts.
Red harvester ants are often mistaken for fire ants in North America.
And although they are a different species, they still have a painful sting, so you’re smart to stay away from them. However, unlike carnivorous fire ants, their diet is 90% seeds and grains.
They return these to the nest, make them into a bread-like substance using their mandibles, and store them in the colony’s granary. They also consume other insects for protein.
In natural settings, they can be incredibly beneficial. They help disperse plant seeds, improve soil fertility, and feed on other pests, such as termites, ticks, screwworm larvae, and crop pests. Unfortunately, their habit of eating seeds can also spell trouble for farmers when they feed on pasture grasses and crops like corn and oats.
Unfortunately, their nesting habits are also detrimental to plant life. Red harvester ants prefer to nest in open areas, so they kill all the vegetation around the mound, leaving a bare patch of earth up to 110 square feet (10 square meters).
#21. Rough Harvester Ant
- Workers vary from dark red to brown or black but are uniformly darker than other harvester ants.
- They have many lines and punctures on their heads and bodies, giving them a rough texture.
- Their antennae have twelve segments.
Also known as the desert harvester ant, this ant mainly inhabits dry landscapes in North America. You can find them in grasslands, deserts, and scrublands.
Rough harvester ants form large, crater-like mounds at the entrance to their nest.
Their colonies grow large and may include up to 15,000 workers. These workers use the same trails when leaving the nest, creating noticeable, permanent pathways.
Like other harvester ant species, they primarily feed on grains and seeds. However, unlike other harvester ants, rough harvesters usually aren’t agricultural pests. This is partly due to their habitat, which isn’t ideal for growing crops.
#22. Black Harvester Ant
- Workers are shiny, dark brown, or black.
- Their heads are as wide as they are long and have large, conspicuous mandibles.
- They have short white or yellow hairs on their heads, bodies, and legs.
Black harvester ants thrive in the hottest, most arid regions in North America.
One of the easiest ways to find them is to look for their huge chaff piles. These chaff piles are made from husks and extra material from processing grains and seeds, which are the ants’ primary food source.
Harvester ants are often viewed negatively. However, they do have some incredible benefits. Their chaff piles and “trash dumps” frequently provide homes for other insects like beetles that scavenge them.
Additionally, the outer rings of their nest areas are also some of the most fertile land in their harsh habitat. The extra nutrients and decreased competition that result from the ants’ activity give vegetation in this area an advantage. For example, after a wildfire, the nest rim vegetation is often the first to recover and helps recolonize the rest of the area.
Black harvester ants also don’t tend to be major crop pests. They feed primarily on wild plants like perennial shrubs, creosote bush (Larrea tridentata), and burro weed (Ambrosia dumosa).
#23. Western Harvester Ant
- Pogonomyrmex occidentalis
- Workers are dark red and slightly shiny.
- They display significant texture on their heads and thoraxes.
- They have boxy heads with 12 segmented antennae.
Western harvester ant colonies in North America may last up to 40 years!
They inhabit arid regions like high-elevation grasslands, sagebrush, and forests and always select nest sites in open areas.
One feature that sets western harvester ants apart is their conspicuous nests. These ants construct large gravel mounds and remove the vegetation around them. You can spot the nests from aerial photographs! And these hills aren’t just for looks: choosing sites in open areas and removing the vegetation around the nest keeps them from burning during wildfires.
Don’t get too close, though. Mature colonies contain about 20,000 workers and will aggressively defend the nest, delivering painful stings.
#24. Western Black Carpenter Ant
- Workers are dull black with dark red legs.
- Workers may be up to 0.5 inches long (13 mm).
- They have golden hairs that are most abundant on their abdomens.
Western black carpenter ants are usually found in forested areas in North America.
They seem especially fond of coniferous forests but will also use aspen and hardwood forests.
They’re called carpenter ants because they usually make their nests in dead wood, such as stumps and rotting logs, especially those with some bark attached.
Unfortunately for humans, this predisposition to wood means they may damage homes in forested areas, especially log or wood homes. They can be especially troublesome because they form massive colonies, sometimes containing 50,000 workers. That many ants can certainly cause damage to a cabin or house!
#25. Western Thatching Ant
- Most workers typically have reddish-orange heads, reddish-orange or black chests, and black abdomens.
- Small workers may be all black or dark brown.
- They have one node between their upper body and abdomen.
These are the only ants in North America that build thatched roofs for themselves!
Western thatching ants create huge dirt mounds, but rather than leaving them bare like many species, they cover them with a layer of twigs, grasses, and other small pieces of plant material. Precisely what they use depends on their location.
These thatched roofs allow them to survive a wide variety of temperature, humidity, and weather conditions. The size of the colony’s mound generally depends on its age. Those of mature colonies regularly reach 18 inches (45 cm) tall, but even taller mounds aren’t uncommon!
Take a closer look at this astonishing species in the video below.
#26. Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA)
Also known as fire ants or red ants.
- Adults are usually dark reddish brown.
- Workers measure 0.13 to 0.25 inches (0.32 to 0.64 cm) long.
- They have two nodes at the petiole (waist) and two segmented antennal clubs.
Red Imported Fire Ants are troublesome insects in eastern North America.
A single fire ant can sting repeatedly, and the colony will attack anything that disturbs their nest or food source.
These ants have venom with toxic alkaloids and proteins that can cause burning and swelling. If you are stung by a swarm over a large portion of your body, or if you are allergic or acutely sensitive to RIFA venom, you should seek medical attention as soon as you are stung.
Unsurprisingly, this invasive species is also considered an agricultural and home pest. Colonies can damage crops, injure livestock, and even damage sidewalks. Although they rarely nest indoors, you should call a pest control specialist if you find a colony on your property. Don’t try to eliminate the ants yourself; you will likely be stung!
Although they are mostly a nuisance, Red Imported Fire Ants also have incredible survival skills. For example, they have been observed building rafts as nearby water levels rise to avoid drowning.
#27. Southern Fire Ant
- Workers typically have a red head and upper body and a black abdomen, but occasionally, they may be uniformly dark brown.
- Workers may be up to 0.25 inches long (6 mm).
Historically, southern fire ants were the most common fire ant species in North America.
However, the spread of red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) has significantly reduced their populations. This is unfortunate for humans as the red imported fire ant has a much more painful sting.
Southern fire ants build smaller, inconspicuous mounds that you may not notice. However, don’t mistake these for harmless ant nests. Southern fire ant workers will swarm out of the nest to defend the colony if disturbed.
They grab their attackers by biting them before delivering a painful sting. There’s a lot of them, too. Mature colonies can contain thousands of workers.
#28. Western Velvety Tree Ant
- Their heads and thoraces are reddish-brown, and they have velvety black abdomens.
- Workers may be up to 0.25 inches long (6 mm).
These ants prefer to nest under bark or in the crevices of trees in North America.
They prefer oaks, alders, elms, and creosote bushes. Like carpenter ants, their preference for wood nests can make them an issue for homeowners. They prefer moist conditions and are often found near windows and in bathrooms.
It can be hard to eliminate this species because western velvety tree ants are adaptable. They regularly prey on other insects and carefully tend and farm honey-dew-producing insects. Additionally, they will eat sugary foods that humans have left out. It’s common to spot massive lines of these foraging ants extending almost 200 feet (60 meters) from their nest sites.
Did you like learning about the ants that live in North America?
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Which of these ants have you seen in North America?
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