ScientificName: Monomorium pharaonis
Habitat/Food: Pharaoh, or Sugar Ants, are notorious for invading living spaces and getting into food. They are found especially in the kitchen and live in the walls. An individual colony normally contains 1000 - 2500 workers but a high density of nests gives the impression of massive colonies. Colonies also lack nestmate recognition so there is no hostility between neighboring colonies.
Life Cycle: Each colony has 2-200 queens. Colonies reproduce by 'budding', where a subset of the colony including queens, workers and brood (eggs, larvae and pupae) leave the main colony for an alternative nest site. Budding is the major factor underlying the invasiveness of Pharaoh ants. A single seed colony can populate a large office block, almost to the exclusion of all other insect pests, in less than six months.
Organic Control: Baiting is the only effective way to get rid of these pests. Safe controls such as boric acid can be used.
Interesting Fact: Due to the friendliness between neighboring colonies, they will group together when their existence is threatened do to baiting, sprays, and dusting. Continuous baiting is the only way to rid infested structures of these pests.