More than 100 species of ants are found in Canada. Among these, 7 cause the most problems in buildings and backyards:
Carpenter Ants are large and range in colour from reddish brown to black. They excavate tunnels in wood, causing significant structural damage to homes and businesses. Colonies contain up to 50,000 ants. Nests may be located indoors and outside. Explore our guides on how to identify carpenter ants and how to get rid of carpenter ants.
Pavement Ants are small and dark brown to black in colour. They typically nest beside and under sidewalks and driveways. Pavement ant colonies can contain more than 10,000 ants. They are avid foragers and come indoors in large numbers to find food and water. These ants will cause recurring problems until the entire colony is killed. Get tips to identify and kill pavement ants.
Thief Ants are tiny and range in colour from yellow to brown. They steal food and brood (ant larvae and pupae) from larger ant species and forage indoors for fats and proteins. As such, they're also called "grease" ants. They can easily get into sealed food containers. Because they feed on dead mice and rats, thief ants may contaminate food and spread disease. Learn how to identify and eliminate thief ants.
Odorous House Ants are small brown to black in colour. They emit a rotten coconut odour when crushed. A colony can contain up to 500,000 worker ants, multiple queens, and many nests across a large area. These ants come inside by the thousands, marching in well-defined trails, for food. Learn how to identify and kill odorous house ants.
Little Black Ants are incredibly small and dark brown to jet black in colour. A colony many contain thousands of ants, which form noticeable trails when foraging indoors. They contaminate food by getting into sealed packaging. These ants typically nest outdoors but will nest inside, as well. Learn how to identify and control little black ants.
European Fire Ants are medium in size and light reddish brown in colour. They sting people and pest who get too close to their outdoor nests. These ants create supercolonies of interconnected nests with each nest containing up to 10,000 ants. Heavily infested yards may have up to 1.5 nests per square metre. Learn how to identify and kill European Fire ants.
Also read:
5 Steps to Get Rid of Ants for Good
The Best DIY Ant Killers in Canada
