Description: Pavement ants are reddish-brown to black; workers are about 1/8 inch long. Pavement ants have the following characteristics: 1) petiole with two nodes, 2) head with furrows (lines) running vertically (top to bottom), and 3) a pair of spines on the posterior portion of the thorax [compare with acrobat ants].

Foods: Greasy Foods:, including meats and pet food, and sweets.

Nesting Sites: In soil under sidewalks, driveways, stones, logs and other concealed sites. Also commonly found under homes with concrete slab construction; ants enter homes through cracks in the concrete.

Mating Swarms: May through July. When the nest is under a heated slab foundation, swarms can occur at other times of the year, including winter.

Best Pest Management Methods: Look for and treat outdoor nests. When the nest is not found, treat the building perimeter with a residual spray. When pavement ants are nesting under heated concrete slabs, baiting is the most effective control tactic. Use boric acid mixed with peanut butter, meat grease, or similar protein or fat-based food.