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Key to Identifying Common Household Ants    
This key includes the ant species that are most likely to be a nuisance around California homes and structures. Many other ant species occur in California, but most are not home invaders.  
How to use this key
  • Click on illustrations that best resemble your ant
  • Work through the key until you get to a summary screen of the ant that the key identified
Ants Pest Note
Ant Key PDF*
Already know the ant species? Click on an illustration to go directly to ant summary pages

Odorous house ant Argentine ant Pharaoh ant Carpenter ant
Pavement ant Red imported fire ant Southern fire ant

Thief ant



References
Acknowledgments

*You need Adobe Acrobat Reader version 4 or later to view or print this PDF. If this software is not installed on your computer, you can download a free copy of Acrobat Reader.

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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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