Black fire ants are aggressive insects and they bite in North Carolina. Since fire ants have spread all over the globe, they have become one of the most dangerous pests, causing significant damage to all agricultural crops. In North Carolina there are four main species of ants, but the most dangerous is the red imported fire ant – a small stinging insect that is well known for its painful bite. If you live in North Carolina, chances are you’ve seen them. Those red-and-black pests that a lot of people call “fire ants.” You may not have given much thought to these little guys. Maybe you’ve even been bitten by them… and given your previous lack of interest in fire ant terminology, you probably had no idea that you were being stung by   Wasmannia auropunctata , more commonly known as the “fire ant” and native to South America.

North Carolina Ants

Introduction

North Carolina is home to a wide variety of ant species. While many of these ants are beneficial and only pose a nuisance when they enter homes, others can cause serious damage. This article will help you identify some of the most common species in North Carolina and understand the threats they pose to your property.

Field Ants

The Field Ant is a small light brown ant that lives in open areas, including forest edges and grassy fields. They are not considered pests because they do not have a tendency to invade homes or damage property. Field Ants are attracted to sweets (especially honeydew), so if you find them swarming your fruit trees or sugary garden plants, it’s likely that another insect such as an aphid is producing honeydew.

Field Ants are slow moving with no particular preference for any type of food over another. However, these ants do prefer sweet substances over dry ones and will often feed on honeydew produced by aphids on plants such as tomatoes, cabbages and beans . The appearance of this type of ant may indicate nearby infestations by other insects such as termites which can cause serious damage if left unchecked .

Pharaoh Ants

Pharaoh ants are tiny, reddish-brown ants that are about 1/16 inch long. They have a single node between their thorax and abdomen and a petiole that has two nodes. The Pharaoh ant is native to tropical areas of the world, but has been introduced to the United States.

Pharaoh ants can be found in homes, apartments, offices and other buildings where food sources are available (such as kitchen counters). They may also nest outdoors in sewers or under sidewalks.

Crazy Ants

Crazy ants are small, brown ants that are found in the eastern United States. They are called crazy ants because of their erratic movements and tendency to run about in an erratic manner.

Crazy Ants have a body length of 1/16 to 1/8 inches (1.5 – 3 mm), with queens being slightly larger than workers. The queen’s head has two large eyes and a pair of long antennae; her thorax is longer than her abdomen and covered with fine hairs. Workers are all similar in appearance but vary in size according to caste (queens can be up to twice as long as worker ants). Some workers have light colored abdomens while others may be completely black due to melanization – pigmentation that protects them from ultraviolet radiation by absorbing it into their exoskeleton or by reflecting it away from them (more on this later).

Odorous House Ants

Odorous house ants are a nuisance pest that occur in homes, restaurants, and businesses throughout North Carolina. They are attracted to sweet foods and have been known to damage food supplies. Odorous house ants can be found on the ground or walls of buildings.

If you think you may have an ant problem inside your home, contact a professional pest control service immediately for help.

Pavement Ants

Pavement ants are the most common ant in North Carolina. These small, brown and black insects are barely 1/16 of an inch long with a short, wedge-shaped body. They have a distinct odor when crushed that can be described as “rotten coconut” or “sweet and musky”. The colony lives in underground tunnels that extend up to 6 feet below ground level.

Pavement ants do not pose any threat to humans but they do damage materials such as wood and stucco by tunneling through them. Pavement ants are not considered pests because they cause little damage to heat or food storage areas of homes; however, their presence indoors may indicate moisture problems which require further investigation by a professional pest control company

Red Imported Fire Ants

Red imported fire ants are a serious threat to humans, pets, livestock and wildlife. They can cause allergic reactions in some people. The colonies invade homes and destroy landscaping. They also pose a major threat to agriculture by killing young plants or girdling mature trees when they build their mounds near crops. Red imported fire ants are known to attack small animals such as chickens or rabbits, as well as birds that come in contact with the nests during foraging for food or water.

Fire ant stings usually cause swelling, pain and itching at the site of the sting within 30 minutes after being bitten by the ant (usually on exposed skin). Some people may experience fever, nausea and weakness following multiple stings by red imported fire ants which can lead to anaphylactic shock if not treated immediately

North Carolina Ants

The most common ant species in North Carolina is the Argentine ant, which has been introduced to both the east and west coasts. In other parts of the country it’s called the pavement ant or odorous house ant, but here we mostly call it crazy because that’s what people do when they see an army of these little guys marching around their kitchen countertops.

Crazy ants are so named because of their quick movements and tendency to bite humans. They may also be referred to as field ants or pharaoh ants if you’re looking for a more specific description of where these little guys came from.

The red imported fire ant is also common in North Carolina, although less so than the crazy ants I mentioned above (or at least that’s what my friends tell me).

Conclusion

Ants can be a pesky problem, but we’re here to help you identify them, understand their behavior and control any infestations. We hope you found this blog helpful in determining what type of ant you have!