Pest Identification Guide
Unsure if you have destructive carpenter ants or harmless pavement ants? Compare size, color, nesting habits, and frass with Spider Squad's guide.
The primary difference is size and damage potential. Carpenter ants are large (1/4 to 5/8 inch), solid black or red/black, and excavate wood framing, leaving small piles of wood shavings (frass). Pavement ants are much smaller (1/16 to 1/8 inch), dark brown, and build small sand mounds between patio slabs.
Identifying the correct ant species is vital because carpenter ants cause significant structural damage to homes, while pavement ants are merely a nuisance pest foraging for crumbs.
Size: 6–13mm (up to 5/8"). Waist: Single node with evenly rounded thorax. Habits: Active at night, nest in moist wood framing, leave sawdust frass.
Size: 2.5–4mm (1/8"). Waist: Two nodes with tiny spines on thorax. Habits: Create sand volcanoes in driveway cracks and patio interlock.
Pavement ants respond to ground perimeter barriers; carpenter ants require satellite nest tracking and transfer chemistry.
If you see large black ants inside your home during late winter or early spring, or spot winged swarmer ants emerging near windows, you likely have an active satellite colony inside your walls. Call Spider Squad immediately for a professional evaluation.
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