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Quick answer: Pavement ants are small, dark brown to black ants that nest under sidewalks, driveways, and building slabs and push up small piles of soil at cracks. Indoors they trail after sweets and grease. The most reliable way to get rid of pavement ants is slow-acting bait that workers carry back to the colony, combined with sealing entry points.
What do pavement ants look like?
Pavement ants are small — about 1/8 inch — and dark brown to black. Up close they have two nodes between thorax and abdomen and fine parallel lines (striations) on the head and body. Winged reproductives may appear in spring during mating swarms.
Signs of pavement ants
The tell-tale sign is small mounds of excavated soil pushed up along cracks in sidewalks, driveways, and foundations. Indoors you will see trails of ants heading to and from food, especially sweets and grease in kitchens.
Biology and behavior
Colonies nest in soil under pavement and slabs and can contain thousands of workers with multiple queens. Workers forage widely and lay scent trails that recruit nestmates to food. In spring, neighboring colonies sometimes battle on sidewalks in large numbers.
How to get rid of pavement ants
The reliable approach is baiting: place slow-acting ant bait along active trails and near entry points so foraging workers carry it back and share it, reaching the queens. Support baiting by sealing cracks and slab penetrations, fixing gaps around pipes, and cleaning up food and grease. Avoid spraying trails with repellents, which can scatter the colony and undermine baiting.
When to call a professional
If trails persist, if there are multiple nests, or if ants keep returning after baiting, a professional can locate nests, select the right bait, and combine treatment with exclusion for lasting control.
A Brooklyn-based, NYSDEC-registered company (Reg. #15140) led by Jorge Bedoya, an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE). For ants, NYE provides colony-focused ant control matched to the species. ACE-led work comes with a client portal of service reports and photos, fully bilingual service, and no long-term contract.
Pavement Ant FAQ
How do I identify pavement ants?
Pavement ants are about 1/8 inch long, dark brown to blackish, with two nodes on the waist and faint parallel grooves on the head and thorax. Small piles of excavated soil at pavement cracks are a classic sign.
Why are pavement ants in my home?
They forage indoors for sweets, grease, and protein, following scent trails from outdoor nests through cracks, slab penetrations, and gaps around pipes.
How do you get rid of pavement ants?
Use slow-acting ant bait placed along trails so workers carry it back and feed the colony, and seal entry points. Spraying visible ants alone usually fails because the colony survives underground.
Are pavement ants dangerous?
They do not pose a serious health threat and rarely bite, but they contaminate food and their trails are a nuisance in kitchens and food areas.
Where do pavement ants nest?
Under sidewalks, driveways, patios, foundation slabs, and large rocks. Indoors they may nest under floors or behind walls near heat sources.
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