What Are Pharaoh Ants? What Every Homeowner Should Know

If you’ve noticed tiny yellowish ants trailing along your countertops, sinks, or baseboards, you may be dealing with a persistent pest known as pharaoh ants. These ants are not only annoying but also pose serious challenges for homeowners and property managers due to their ability to spread quickly and infest nearly any environment. Whether you’re in an apartment, single-family home, hospital, or office building, understanding these pests is crucial to maintaining a safe and healthy living space.

Below, we’ll explore everything you need to know about pharaoh ants—what they look like, where they hide, what risks they pose, and most importantly, how to get rid of pharaoh ants.

What Are Pharaoh Ants?

Pharaoh ants (Monomorium pharaonis) are small, light-yellow to reddish ants with darker abdomens and are typically about 1/16 inch long. These ants are notorious for their preference for warm, humid indoor spaces and are commonly found in residential and commercial properties.

Unlike some other ant species that prefer the outdoors, pharaoh ants thrive inside buildings, nesting in wall voids, baseboards, cabinets, and behind appliances. Their tiny size allows them to easily squeeze into even the smallest cracks, making them difficult to detect until an infestation is well underway.

Why Are Pharaoh Ants a Problem?

Pharaoh ants aren’t just a nuisance—they’re a health concern. They’re known for invading sterile environments like hospitals and medical facilities, where they can contaminate surgical instruments, IV tubes, and open wounds. They’re also known to transport over a dozen harmful pathogens, including Streptococcus, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus.

In residential settings, pharaoh ants contaminate food, invade kitchens and bathrooms, and are challenging to eliminate due to their nesting habits and ability to split into multiple colonies (a process called “budding”) when disturbed.

How Do Pharaoh Ants Enter Homes?

Pharaoh ants often enter buildings in search of food and water. Because they’re so small, they can enter through extremely narrow gaps around doors, windows, vents, plumbing lines, and utility cables. They’re attracted to sweets, proteins, and greasy foods, which makes kitchens and pantries especially vulnerable.

Once inside, they build multiple interconnected colonies and create extensive foraging trails, which are often visible along counters, baseboards, and window sills.

Are Pharaoh Ants Dangerous?

While pharaoh ants don’t sting or cause structural damage like termites, they are considered dangerous because of their potential to spread bacteria and contaminate food. Their habit of nesting in unsanitary areas—such as garbage disposals, drainpipes, and wall voids—makes them a health hazard when they come into contact with surfaces where food is prepared or consumed.

In commercial properties, especially healthcare settings, they can be particularly harmful, potentially endangering vulnerable populations such as the elderly, infants, or immune-compromised individuals.

Signs of a Pharaoh Ant Infestation

Because of their tiny size and nesting behavior, it can be difficult to spot a pharaoh ant infestation early. However, there are a few common signs to look out for:

• Visible ant trails: Long lines of ants moving to and from a food or water source.
  
• Tiny yellow or reddish ants: Especially around sinks, food storage, or baseboards.
  
• Multiple nests: Pharaoh ants often split off into new colonies, making infestations difficult to control with over-the-counter methods.
  
• Increased activity in warm or humid areas: Bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and boiler rooms are common hotspots.
  

Why DIY Methods Often Fail

Most over-the-counter ant treatments are designed to kill ants on contact. However, this approach is ineffective with pharaoh ants. When threatened, they break off from the main colony and form multiple new colonies elsewhere in your home. This makes the infestation worse instead of solving the problem.

Additionally, their colonies often have multiple queens, which means that killing a few worker ants doesn’t stop the colony from reproducing.

If you’re wondering how to get rid of pharaoh ants, the answer lies in a strategic, professional approach tailored to their biology and behavior.

How Professionals Control Pharaoh Ants

The key to eliminating pharaoh ants is using targeted treatments that allow for transfer back to the colony. Pest control professionals use baiting systems that the ants carry back to their nests. This approach is effective because it kills the colony from the inside out, including the queens.

At 6 Brothers Pest Control, our technicians are trained to identify pharaoh ant infestations and develop customized treatment plans that use green and safe pesticides. Our process includes:

• Thorough inspection to locate nests and identify entry points.
  
• Targeted application of bait products that are safe for people and pets.
  
• Barrier treatments around the home’s foundation to prevent future infestations.
  
• Ongoing maintenance as part of our quarterly service plans to ensure long-term protection.
  

Preventing Pharaoh Ants in the Future

Prevention is key when it comes to pharaoh ants. Here are a few ways you can reduce your risk of infestation:

• Seal cracks and crevices around windows, doors, and plumbing.
  
• Clean up food and drink spills immediately.
  
• Store pantry items in sealed containers.
  
• Remove trash regularly and keep bins clean.
  
• Fix leaky pipes or faucets to eliminate moisture sources.
  

If you live in an area where ant activity is common, partnering with the best pest control Las Vegas can help you stay ahead of infestations before they become unmanageable.

Trust 6 Brothers Pest Control for Pharaoh Ant Solutions

At 6 Brothers Pest Control, we provide expert Las Vegas NV pest control services that are effective, environmentally friendly, and tailored to the unique challenges of desert living. As a local, family-owned business, we care about protecting your home or commercial space from unwanted pests using treatments that are safe for your family and pets.

Our General Pest Control Subscription includes comprehensive indoor and outdoor treatments, a foundation barrier, extended perimeter protection, de-webbing service, and free re-treatment if needed. We focus on long-term pest prevention with quarterly maintenance plans designed to keep your property pest-free year-round.