Instructions
Examine the ant's body. Ants can be distinguished as the queen, winged male, major worker and minor worker. The queen has a large abdomen, and it's about twice the size of a minor worker. A winged male has wings and is often sent to explore a certain area. Major and minor workers are smaller ants.
Look at the color of the ant. Carpenter ants are black or red and black. Cornfield ants are light to dark brown. Large yellow ants are yellowish or reddish in color, and they give off a lemon scent when squished. Pharaoh ants are from Africa, and they are light yellow to red with a darker colored thorax. Thief ants look similar to pharaoh ants, but they are smaller. Pavement ants are reddish brown to black, and they have tiny visible hairs on their body.
Determine the type of nest the ant lives in. Field ants live in mounds of soil. Odorous house ants live underneath things like rocks, floor boards, decks, etc. The acrobat ant lives in the logs and branches of trees.
Watch what type of food the ants eat. Many house ants eat sweet foods like candy and fruit, but the thief ant prefers foods protein foods like meat and cheese.
How to Identify House Ants
Ants are strategists, so once they sense sugary or greasy foods, they are on a mission. Each type of ant within a colony has a specific job. The queen ant propagates the species, the winged male searches for food and the workers bring back the food to nourish the queen and the others. There are many different types of ants that can end up in your home. Read on to learn about how to identify house ants.