Pharaoh and Thief Ants

• Pharaoh ants and thief ants are often mistaken for each other because they're both small, light-colored ants. Pharaoh ants are light yellow, orange or red, and have a thorax (upper body) that is darker in color. They are about 1/16 inch long and are more commonly found indoors than thief ants. Thief ants are slightly smaller (1/20 inch) and are yellow to light brown in color. Pharaoh ants have slightly larger eyes than thief ants and 12-segmented antennae versus 10 segments. Also, pharaoh ants do not swarm.
  
  

Carpenter and Field Ants

• Carpenter and field ant are often mistaken for each other for the opposite reason as pharaoh and thief ants -- they are both large and dark-colored. Carpenter ants may be black, or red and black, and range in size from 3/16 to 1/2 inch long. Their thorax appears uneven in profile. Field ants can be black, brown, red or a combination of the three. They are about 1/8 to 1/4 inch long and have thoraxes that are evenly rounded. Field ants are not as likely to be found indoors as carpenter ants.
  
  

Small Black Ants

• If you're seeing small, black ants in your home, they may be acrobat, pavement, crazy or little black ants. Acrobat ants are yellowish-brown to black and are about 1/8 inch long. They can be identified by their heart-shaped abdomen, which they can lift over their bodies, hence the name. Pavement ants may be brown or black and about 1/8 inch long. They have narrow, parallel furrows on their head and thorax, which distinguishes them from other ants. Crazy ants are about 1/16 to 1/8 inch long and have long legs and antennae. They are fast-moving and always black. Little black ants are shiny and black, and about 1/16 inch long. They look similar to pharaoh ants except for their color. They are slower-moving than crazy ants.
  
  

Small Brown Ants

• Several species of ants are brown and range in size from 1/8 to 1/10 inch long. Odorous house ants are brown to dark brown and 1/10 inch long. They give off a foul odor when crushed, similar to rotten coconut. Cornfield ants are the same size, but may also be light brown. They have relatively large eyes, and the first antenna segment is not much longer than their head. False honey ants look very similar to cornfield ants, although they are slightly larger (1/8 inch) and the first antenna segment is longer than the head.