Pharaoh Ant

Widely distributed indoors, particularly in heated buildings such as hospitals, hotels, and apartments in cooler climates, or outdoors in tropical and subtropical regions.

Omnivorous and opportunistic; they consume a wide range of foods including fats, proteins, and sugars, though they are often strongly attracted to grease and meat.

They exhibit 'budding' behavior, where a portion of the colony (including queens and workers) moves to a new location. They are mostly active at night and utilize chemical pheromone trails to communicate and forage.

Considers a major nuisance pest. In medical environments, they are a high risk for spreading pathogens such as Salmonella and Streptococcus. They are difficult to eliminate because typical spray treatments cause colonies to split (bud) into multiple new nests.