The pharaoh’s ant may be the most difficult of all building-invading ants to exterminate. They have large colonies with multiple queens, nest almost anywhere within a structure, and will split large colonies into smaller ones at the slightest sign of stress. Pharaoh’s ant infestations in Michigan are quite localized. They tend to favor large heated buildings. They are especially well adapted to buildings that are steam heated. This type of heating system is particularly favorable to the ants’ nesting behavior.
Pharaoh’s ants feed on most anything and will travel great distances along pheromone “scent” trails. Pharaoh’s ants do not cause direct damage to the structures they inhabit, nor are they known to harm humans by biting or are they carriers of disease. They are a nuisance pest. Because of the pharaoh’s ant’s nesting behavior and small size it is conceivable that they may cause problems in business and institutional buildings that have a large number of personal computers.
