Pharaoh ants are extremely small, only about 1/16 inch long, with a pale yellow to light honey-colored body and a slightly darker abdomen. Their tiny size and translucent, almost see-through appearance make them easy to overlook at first glance, and they’re often mistaken for other small household ants until their distinctive nesting behavior gives them away. Colonies can contain multiple queens and thousands of workers, allowing populations to grow and split rapidly.
In Southern California homes, pharaoh ants are almost exclusively an indoor pest, favoring warm, humid spots such as behind wall voids, under flooring, inside cabinetry, and near sources of heat and moisture like water heaters and bathroom plumbing. Unlike ants that nest outdoors and forage in, pharaoh ants often establish their entire colony within a structure, particularly in multi-unit buildings, older homes, and commercial kitchens throughout Los Angeles and Orange County, where they can travel between units or rooms through wall voids and utility lines.
Pharaoh ants are a notable concern because of their persistence and how difficult they are to manage with typical do-it-yourself methods. Disturbing a colony with over-the-counter sprays can cause it to “bud” into several smaller, separate colonies, a behavior that can make the problem worse rather than better. They’re also known for contaminating food in pantries, and in sensitive settings such as hospitals, they’ve historically raised sanitation concerns due to their ability to access sealed or supposedly protected areas. Their small size lets them exploit tiny gaps most other ants can’t use.
Because pharaoh ants respond poorly to typical store-bought treatments, professional help matters more with this species than with most other household ants. Guarantee Pest Control has served Los Angeles and Orange County since 1958, and our technicians understand how to inspect for pharaoh ant colonies without triggering the budding behavior that makes DIY treatment backfire. We’ll recommend a treatment plan designed for this persistent pest, with eco-friendly Guarantee Green options available, a 3-month guarantee on most services, free estimates, and no-penalty cancellation. Call 1-800-507-3787 or request your free estimate at /get-a-quote/ before a small colony becomes several.