You notice ants in your kitchen or near your windows? But should you worry? Not necessarily. In Quebec, three species frequently invade our homes: the carpenter ant, the pavement ant, and the pharaoh ant. Each has distinct characteristics and requires a different approach.
This article will help you quickly identify which species you have in your home.
Key points to remember
- The size is the first clue: carpenter ants are clearly larger
- The color helps distinguish species: black for carpenter ants, pale yellow for pharaoh ants
- The place where you find them often reveals their identity
- Carpenter ants can cause structural damage to your home
- Correct identification is essential to choose the right treatment
How to recognize each type of ant?
The carpenter ant
Easy to spot thanks to its large size: 6 to 13 mm. Its color is generally black, sometimes with shades of brown or red. Mainly active at night, it moves after sunset.
The unmistakable sign: sawdust near walls, window frames, or beams. Bad sign. This fine powder indicates that ants are digging galleries in the wood of your home.
The pharaoh ant
The opposite of the carpenter ant. It measures only 1.5 to 2 mm, barely the size of a pinhead. Pale yellow to light brown color, difficult to detect on light surfaces.
Attracted to heat and humidity, you will often find it near the kitchen or bathroom. It always moves in a well-organized line one behind the other toward food sources.
The pavement ant
It measures 2.5 to 4 mm, dark brown to black color with slightly lighter legs. It is called this because it builds its nests under pavers, concrete slabs, and in foundation cracks.
Outside: small sand mounds near sidewalks or garage entrances. Inside, it enters through cracks at floor level, especially in winter when it is looking for heat.
Quick identificatio n reference
| Characteristic | Carpenter ant | Pharaoh ant | Pavement ant |
| Size | 6 to 25 mm | 1.5 to 2 mm | 2.5 to 4 mm |
| Color | Black, red-brown | Pale yellow | Dark brown to black |
| Where to find it | Near wood, beams | Kitchen, bathroom | Entrances, foundations |
| Distinctive sign | Sawdust | Very small, in a line | Sand mounds |
When should you be concerned?
Urgent situation: carpenter ants inside during winter, or sawdust on the floor. This is urgent. A nest is probably established in the structure of your home.
Situation to monitor: a few pavement ants entering through a crack. A quick intervention can solve the problem.
Non-concerning situation: a few pharaoh ants near food. Remove accessible food sources and observe if the problem persists.
Mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake? Using over-the-counter insecticides without prior identification. Some products scatter pharaoh ant colonies instead of eliminating them, which worsens the problem.
Second trap: treating only visible ants. What you see represents only a tiny part of the colony. The nest can contain thousands of hidden individuals.
And ants in winter? Ignoring them is a mistake. If you see them during the cold season, a nest is established inside your home.
What should you do now?
Have you identified carpenter ants? Don’t wait. A professional exterminator can locate the nest and treat the problem at the source.
For pharaoh ants, avoid home treatments that risk fragmenting the colony. They require specialized baits that only professionals use.
For pavement ants, start by sealing the cracks through which they enter. If the infestation persists, a professional intervention will prevent their return.
Prevention
Keep your kitchen clean and store food in airtight containers. Ants are attracted to sweet substances and food residues.
Quickly repair any water leak or humidity problem. According to Health Canada, the presence of carpenter ants can reveal a humidity problem or wood structure decay.
Seal foundation and window frame cracks with caulking. The Government of Quebec also recommends ventilating humid rooms to make your home less attractive.
The importance of professional identification
Ant identification is the first step toward an effective solution. A diagnostic error leads to ineffective treatments and allows the infestation to worsen. Unsure about the type of ant? A consultation with a pest management specialist will give you a clear answer.
Need help identifying your ants?
Our team can determine which species has invaded your home and recommend the best approach.
Contact Solution Cimex for a professional evaluation and regain your peace of mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they dig tunnels to build their nests, but they don’t consume the wood. They expel the wood chips outside as sawdust. Their food consists of sugary substances, dead insects, and food scraps.
These products risk fragmenting the colony and worsening the problem. When threatened, Pharaoh ants create satellite colonies elsewhere in the house. Only specific professional baits allow for effective elimination.
They do not cause structural damage like carpenter beetles. However, their persistent presence becomes a significant nuisance when they invade the kitchen in search of food, especially during the colder months.
Watch for the regular presence of ants in the same place, sawdust on the floor near walls or beams, and a faint scratching noise in the walls at night when the house is quiet.