Ants

Acrobatic Ants

Acrobatic ants are small and slender, with long legs and antennae. They have a dark-colored head and thorax, and a lighter-colored pointed abdomen. Their long segmented legs and hooked claws allow them to navigate complex terrain. Acrobatic ants are omnivorous and feed on a variety of food sources, including insects, nectar, and plant sap. These ants are highly social insects that live in large colonies. Acrobatic ants are known for their defensive behavior, which can include biting, stinging, and spraying formic acid as a form of chemical defense. 

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are usually black, but can also be red, brown, or a combination of these colors. They are typically larger than other types of ants, worker ants range in size from 1/4 to 1/2 inch long with large heart-shaped heads and round thorax. Carpenter ants also have strong mandibles, which they use to excavate wood for their nests.

 Carpenter ants cause damage to wood and can be difficult to control once they have established a nest, and it is important to address infestations promptly to prevent further damage to structures.

Little Black Ants

Little Black Ants are small in size and approximately 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters long. These social insects live in large colonies that can contain thousands of ants. They are known for their ability to quickly infest an area and often invade homes and buildings in search of food.

Odorous Ants

Odorous ants are also known as "sugar ants" due to their preference for sweet foods. They communicate using chemicals called pheromones, which help them navigate and find food. They emit a strong, unpleasant odor when crushed, which is often described as smelling like rotten coconut. These ants are not typically harmful to humans, but they can contaminate food and become a nuisance in large numbers.

Pavement Ants

Pavement ants are one of the most common ant species found in New Jersey. These small ants live in large colonies and are most active during the warmer months. These ants typically tend to build nests in cracks in pavement and concrete. 


Thief Ants

Thief ants are small, pale-colored ants that are known for their aggressive behavior and often steal food, eggs, larvae, and pupae from other ant colonies. Thief ants live in small colonies and nest in a variety of locations including cracks in pavements, walls, and soil. The queens of thief ant colonies are small and have wings, which they use to disperse and start new colonies.