Pharaoh Ant

Exclusively indoor dwellers in cooler climates, preferring heated, humid areas like kitchens, bathrooms, wall voids, and near hot water pipes. They nest in extremely small, unusual crevices.

Omnivorous; prefers sweets, syrups, and honey but readily feeds on proteins like meats, grease, dead insects, and even shoe polish.

They exhibit 'budding' behavior where a single queen breaks away from the main colony with workers to start a new nest, leading to rapid infestations that are widely dispersed. They are persistent foragers that create well-defined trails.

Significant household pest; notorious for spreading pathogens (Salmonella, Streptococcus) in sterile environments like hospitals. They are very difficult to eradicate due to their budding capability, often worsening if sprayed with standard insecticides.