This ant gets its name from the strong, rotten coconut-like smell it gives off when crushed. These tiny insects range in size from one-sixteenth of an inch to one-eighth of an inch long.

Habits:
Odorous house ants like to eat sweets, especially melon.

Habitat:
Typically living for several years, these ants make their homes in exposed soil and wall cracks.

Threats:
These ants do not pose a public health risk, but they can contaminate food and should be avoided.

Prevention:
Eliminate standing water. Pests such as odorous house ants are attracted to moisture. Keep tree branches and other plants cut back from the house. Some tim es pests use these branches to get into your home. Make sure that there are no cracks or little openings around the bottom of your house. Some tim es pests use these to get into your home. Make sure that firewood and building materials are not stored next to your home. Pests like to build nests in stacks of wood.

Red imported fire ants nest in soil and build mound nests. They can infest garages.

Habits:
These ants will build large mound nests, and will sting humans who come across a nest.

Habitat:
Red imported fire ants will build their nest mounds outdoors in landscape areas or near a structural foundation. The ant will gain entry to a building through holes or cracks.

Threats:
The sting of a red imported fire ant is painful and often results in a raised welt that becomes a white pustule. Often, a person stung by a red imported fire ant receives multiple painful stings from more than one of the ants. Persons allergic to insect stings will react more severely.

Prevention:
Red imported fire ants and their telltale mound nests should be actively avoided. To prevent entry into a structure, seal all internal and external cracks and crevices.

Habits:
Pharaoh ants typically establish themselves in areas near moisture, such as the kitchen or bathroom. They travel from room to room within the walls via plumbing pipes and electrical wires.

Habitat:
Pharaoh ants will nest in virtually any site that provides protection. Colonies have been found nesting in walls, furniture and appliances, but they have also been discovered in unique locations such as between the folds of sheets in closets, hollow curtain rods, inside irons, in small boxes and under roofing shingles. They are extremely opportunistic in their selection of nesting sites.

Threats:
This pest ant can be very difficult to control and eliminate. When foraging worker ants are killed by residual treatments, the colony will fracture or split into two or more colonies to ensure part of the colony survives. If such treatments are continued, the infestation is spread throughout the building.

Prevention:
Pharaoh ants can only be controlled by effective placement of ant baits. The type of bait that is ultimately successful is one on which the colony or colonies involved will feed for an extended period of time. The foraging workers return the bait to the colony, feeding it to other workers, larvae and queens.

Habits:
Ghost ants may develop huge colonies containing thousands of workers and numerous queens. Regular inspections and service are necessary to find and treat new colonies as they move from neighboring properties. The services of a professional, such as Anti-Pesto, are very helpful when encountering these ants.

Habitat:
This ant is now a major pest throughout most of Florida and several of the Hawaiian Islands. It occasionally is found in apartments and greenhouses in northern states. These ants nest outdoors under items on the ground, within landscape mulch, beneath loose bark on trees, under ground cover, in potted plants, and within piles of items such as lumber, firewood, or bricks. Nests may be readily established inside homes in walls, beneath carpeting, and in other suitable voids or spaces.

Threats:
This species may be difficult to control and does not feed much on ant baits. The keys to control are to find the colonies and subcolonies and treat them directly.

Prevention:
This species may be difficult to control and ant baits may not be effective against it. The keys to control are to find the colonies and subcolonies and treat them directly. Where the colonies cannot be found, baits may be attempted; however, several baits may be required before positive results are seen. Regular inspections and service are necessary to find and treat new colonies as they move in from neighboring properties.

These ants received their name from their habit of quick zigzag movements that seem to have no real direction.

Habits:
Crazy ants may develop huge colonies containing thousands of workers and numerous queens.

Habitat:
Crazy ants are common in all the Gulf Coast states from Florida to Texas and can be found in parts of Arizona and in commercial buildings in a few northern cities, such as Philadelphia and New York. These ants nest outdoors under items on the ground, within landscape mulch, beneath loose bark on trees, under ground cover, in potted plants, and within piles of items, such as lumber, firewood, or bricks. Nests may readily be established inside homes in walls, beneath carpeting, and in other suitable voids or spaces.

Threats:
This species may be difficult to control and does not feed much on ant baits.

Prevention:
The keys to control are to find the colonies and subcolonies and treat them directly. Regular inspections and service are necessary to find and treat new colonies as they move from neighboring properties.