Pavement Ants

Pavement ants / (Immigrant) Pavement ants (Tetramorium immigrans) are very small ants that are encountered frequently by Maine homeowners. They enter structures through cracks (especially cracks in foundations and concrete slabs), and they like to nest in the soil under the floors of homes or offices, or under sidewalks, driveways, stones, logs, etc. They feed on a great variety of food sources, including sugary items, meats, grains such as breads and crackers, food garbage, other insects, pollen, pet food and nuts, to name but a few. They are not structurally damaging to homes or buildings.

Closeup of a Pavement Ant showing a red circle around each of its two nodes, and arrows pointing to a pair of small spines found on the back of the thorax.ement ants helps to differentiate them from the rest of the group. The spines are absent on thief and Pharaoh ants. Acrobat and European red ants both possess a pair of spines on the thorax, but they are proportionally longer compared to those found on pavement ants.
There are other small ants that have two nodes (Acrobat ants, European Red ants, Thief ants and Pharaoh ants), but the size and presence of two small spines on the thorax of pavement ants helps to differentiate them from the rest of the group. The spines are absent on thief and Pharaoh ants. Acrobat and European red ants both possess a pair of spines on the thorax, but they are proportionally longer compared to those found on pavement ants.

Additional Information about Pavement Ants:

back to Ants