Pest ID library
Ants
Carpenter, fire and odorous house ants — and the ant-or-termite question.
ID notes from the crew
Antennae: ants elbowed, termites straight or beaded. Wings: ant pairs unequal, termite pairs equal. Waist: ants pinched, termites broad.
Confirmed in the LTK Discord · LTK member
Polymorphic workers with a smoothly rounded thorax. The look-alike Formica integra has a dip in the thorax, is aggressive and sprays acid. Management is the same either way.
Confirmed in the LTK Discord · #the-hive-mind ID thread
Small, single node. When in doubt, sniff it out.
Confirmed in the LTK Discord · #the-hive-mind
Red imported fire ants are brighter and more orange, and less two-toned than southern fire ants. They often turn up crawling on clothes in closets, and male Solenopsis alates get mistaken for other pests.
Confirmed in the LTK Discord · #the-hive-mind
From the field
23 photos posted by members. Tip: Always include a coin or a hand for scale, and freeze a specimen for a clear shot.
(opens full size in a new tab)Polymorphic workers tending broodLTK member · Dec 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Workers over pupae in the nestLTK member · Sep 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Nest with brood under a saucerLTK member · Nov 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Winged swarmers on a sticky trapLTK member · Sep 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Winged ant alate on glue boardLTK member · Sep 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Fire ant worker in palmLTK member · Nov 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Fire ant worker for scaleLTK member · Nov 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Worker ant on finger for scaleLTK member · Nov 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Fire ant worker close-upLTK member · Nov 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Ant colony with brood in a potLTK member · Dec 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Ant cluster on wet pavementLTK member · May 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Clumped ants after rainLTK member · May 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Ant trail along a trim seamLTK member · Aug 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Ants swarming bait at a doorLTK member · Jan 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Active ant mound surfaceLTK member · May 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Worker ant on indoor flooringLTK member · Jul 2025 
(opens full size in a new tab)Carpenter ants on sidingLTK member · Apr 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Carpenter ant foragersLTK member · Apr 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Red-and-black ants on exteriorLTK member · Apr 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Black worker ant close-upLTK member · Jan 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Black ant with finger for scaleLTK member · Jan 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Black ant on interior wallLTK member · Jan 2026 
(opens full size in a new tab)Small ant on white surfaceLTK member · Jan 2026
