Pavement Ants

Pavement ants (Tetramorium caespitum) were introduced to the United States from Europe and occur throughout the eastern United States. They are an important pest in the midwest and New England. These are small ants, about 3/16" long, and are dark brown in color. They build nests along sidewalks, building foundations, and under stones, boards, bricks, and mulch or leaf piles.

These ants readily make trails to and from food sources and often forage along the edge of carpeting or baseboards. They are also common around the base of toilets. They often nest in protected areas so the nests may be hard to locate, but this is essential to manage infestations of this species. There can be several thousand in a colony.

Pavement ants feed on a wide variety of foods including other insects, greasy foods, and plants. While they are often found in damp areas, lack of moisture does not limit their development, so solving moisture problems alone will not affect these ants. Vegetation-free borders should be installed around buildings, and any cracks in building foundations should be sealed. Any loose material under that could provide nesting habitats and should be raised off the ground.

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