Hobbies And Interests
Appearance
Pharaoh ants are one of the smallest species of ants, measuring from 1/12 to 1/16 of an inch in length. They are usually reddish brown to tan in color. Like all ants, their bodies have exoskeletons and are divided into three sections: Head, thorax and abdomen. Each ant also has three pairs of jointed legs attached to the thorax. Pharaoh ants have compound, 20-facet eyes, and each of their mandibles have four teeth.
Habitat
Pharaoh ants thrive in warm climates, and when faced with cold conditions, they tend to move indoors. These insects can build a nest in any warm, dark void, such as in walls, behind baseboards, in cabinets or even between sheets of newspaper. Usually nesting near a food or water source, many of the indoor colonies of these insects are found near the kitchen or the bathroom. Outdoors, pharaoh ants have been known to nest in flower pots and leaf litter.
Behavior
Pharaoh ants communicate via a system of pheromones. The ants are able to mark routes to food sources for members of their own colony, while simultaneously misleading other insects. Pharaoh ant colonies are also very mobile, with queens being able to move to new locations if needed. Since pharaoh ant colonies contain many queens, they are prone to splitting, and several colonies can result from one original colony.
Predators
Very little is known about the natural predators of the pharaoh ant. They are rarely observed in the wild, and little is known of their effect on their natural habitat. In areas where they were introduced, pharaoh ants are considered household pests, and their biggest threat is extermination by humans. The easiest way for humans to dispose of these ants is through cutting off their food supply, but because pharaoh ant colonies have a tendency to split, it is very difficult to exterminate every branch of a colony.