Pharaoh Ant

Natural Habitat

In temperate climates, they primarily live indoors in warm, humid areas (near heating pipes, wall voids, kitchens, and bathrooms). In tropical climates, they can live outdoors.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous; they prefer sweets, fats, and proteins. Common food sources include syrups, jellies, grease, dead insects, meat, and pet food.

Behavior Patterns

They form large colonies with multiple queens (polygyny). Instead of swarming to mate, new colonies are formed by 'budding,' where a queen and a few workers split off. This makes extermination difficult, as stressing the colony with generic pesticides can cause them to fragment and spread.

Risks & Benefits

Risk: They are a major household and hospital pest. They can contaminate sterile equipment and spread pathogens such as Salmonella and Staphylococcus due to their foraging habits. They do not sting, but can bite (rarely felt). Benefit: None significant in domestic settings.

Identified on: 2/28/2026