Insects · Hymenoptera · Formicidae

Pharaoh Ant

Monomorium pharaonis

Not Evaluated

It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary

The pharaoh ant is a small ant (2 mm), yellow or light brown and almost transparent, notorious as a major indoor pest, especially in hospitals. It is a cryptogenic species and has reached practically every part of the world, including Europe, the Americas, Australasia and South East Asia. It is a major pest in the United States, Australia and Europe.

Size

up to 0.4 cm

Lifespan

1 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

GrasslandOmnivore Insect Grassland

6countries10same family

Fun facts

GeneralIts nests hold several queens and split when sprayed, which makes the infestation worse.
That is why control relies solely on slow-acting baits that the workers carry back to the queens.
In hospitals it has been documented in surgical equipment, drips and patients' wounds, which makes it a health problem and not merely a domestic one.
It makes no nuptial flights: it mates inside the nest and spreads by budding, when a queen leaves with a few workers and brood to found a new nest. That is why a badly applied treatment scatters it instead of eliminating it.
It does not recognise its own nestmates, so neighbouring colonies do not fight and in effect form a supercolony.
It is a serious problem in hospitals: it seeks warmth and damp, gets under soiled dressings and carries bacteria from drains and rubbish into clean areas.
An established infestation can reach several million workers and hundreds of queens.