Pavement
ants can be found throughout the Eastern
United States and in California. They
nest under rocks, in cracks in pavement,
and along the edges of curbing.
Pavement ants measure from 1/10th to
1/8th of an inch in length. Their
appearance ranges in color from light to
very dark brown. Their legs and antennae
are much paler.
A pavement ant colony is started by a
single queen that lays the eggs and
tends the brood. The brood then develop
into worker ants. As they mature, the
tending of the nest is take over by
workers. The workers shift the location
of the nest as moisture and temperature
fluctuates. When workers forage for food
for the queen and her young, they can
enter homes and become a nuisance.
Pavement ants feed on a variety of
materials including anything that people
and animals eat, especially greasy and
sugary substances. They also feed on
dead and live insects.
