Ants: types, identification & control

Ants are the most common household pest in the United States, and the species matters more than the trail you can see. Carpenter ants tunnel through damp structural wood, fire ants sting outdoors, pharaoh ants split their colonies when sprayed, and odorous house ants smell like coconut when crushed. Use the guides below to identify the ant you found by size, color and behavior, then see the treatment that actually collapses that colony.