Can you identify this ant? - Ask Extension
I have seen several large ants in my home over the past few days. From what I have seen online, they don’t appear to be carpenter ants, but they are...
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Can you identify this ant? #869060
Asked May 18, 2024, 8:11 PM EDT
I have seen several large ants in my home over the past few days. From what I have seen online, they don’t appear to be carpenter ants, but they are very large and I can’t find any ant species except a carpenter ant that is this large Michigan. These are about 1/2” in length and have been seen on both our main floor kitchen and upstairs in a bathroom, one at a time, so I suspect they are the search ants.
Van Buren County Michigan
Expert Response
Carpenter ants have distinct hairs on the rear of their abdomens. I'm not certain from the photo but, if you don't see a hairy abdomen, it could be an acrobat ant or pavement ants. Even if they are carpenter ants, it's not uncommon to find a few indoors in the spring. This does not mean they are building a nest in the home unless you find them in the middle of winter.
