Southern Fire Ant
(Solenopsis xyloni) Adults yellowish to red and black, up to 1/4″ long. Two nodes, no spines on thorax, well developed stinger. Dirt mounds indicate nest in soil, rotten wood, under boards, concrete.
Crazy Ant
(Paratrechina longicornis) Adults small, black, up to 1/8″ long. Single node on pedicel, very long legs, very long “scrape” (first antenna segment). Small colonies nest commonly in structures, feeding mostly on insects as well as other structural debris. Very fast, erratic movements give it its name.
Carpenter Ants
(Camponotus spp) Adults up to 1″ long, colors vary from tan to reddish to black. Single-node on pedicel, thorax without spines and with an even, round profile dorsally. Commonly established satellite nests in structures connected to major nest in soil. Do not eat wood, but may create large cavities in wood for nest.
Argentine Ant
(Iridomyrmex humilis) Adult tan to black, up to 1/8″ long. Single node on pedicel, profile of thorax showsdeep depression on top. An imported species, many queens, may dominate an area over other species. Over 2 months to mature to adult, with eggs, larvae, pupae tended by adults. In extreme weather move colonies from soil nests outdoors to structures in walls, subareas, under slabs.