I. General Facts about Sugar Ants

Getting rid of ants is never a simple proposition, despite their simple nature. Sugar ants engage in a behavior pattern known as "satelliting," "fractionating" or, more commonly, "budding." Part of the colony migrates to a new location, which contrasts with the more common mechanism of colony reproduction where single females disperse and independently found colonies after a reproductive swarm. A queen, together with a few workers carrying immatures (eggs, larvae and pupae), leaves the nest and sets up a new colony elsewhere. Budding is a major factor in the rapid spread of infestations.

Despite their name, sugar ants eat not just sugar and sweets, but other scraps of food as well. In fact, the term sugar ant is but a misnomer. The real sugar ant is a native of the Australian continent, and exclusive to that part of the world. Pavement ants and Pharaoh ants are most often mistakenly referred to as sugar ants, and they happen to be the most abundant ants on the North American continent.

For the purposes of maintaining simplicity in this article, both Pharaoh and Pavement ants will be referred to as sugar ants.

II. Sugar Ants as Pests

During early spring, colonies attempt to conquer new areas and often attack nearby enemy colonies. These result in huge sidewalk battles, sometimes leaving thousands of ants dead. Because of the sugar ants’ aggressive nature, they often invade and colonize seemingly impenetrable areas. In summertime, the ants dig out the sand in between pavement to vent the nests.

Sugar ants will eat almost anything, including insects, seeds, honeydew, honey, bread, meats, nuts and cheese. The species does not pose a public health risk, but can contaminate food and should be avoided.

Nests can be very small; for example, they can be located between sheets of paper, in clothing or laundry, inside furniture, within food, and so on. Nests usually occur in wall voids, under floors, behind baseboards, in trash containers, under stones, in cement or stone wall voids, in linens, in light fixtures, and so on.

They prefer dark, warm areas near hot water pipes and heating tapes, in bathrooms, kitchens, intensive care units, operating rooms, and so on. They are "trail-making" ants and often are found foraging in drains, toilets, washbasins, bedpans and other unsanitary sites, as well as in sealed packs of sterile dressing, intravenous drip systems, surgical wounds, and medical equipment.

III. Basic Sugar Ant Control

Sugar ant control is very much a matter of daily routine during the months when sugar ants are a problem (March through September), particularly in the kitchen. Below is a list of things you can do to control sugar ants and prevent a sugar ant infestation in your home.

* Clean and Dry Kitchen Sink: If you want to control sugar ants, you need to keep your kitchen sink clean and dry. Sugar ants love dirty sinks and the water you leave them to help wash down the leftovers.

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