Ant Facts:  Native Ants

What Kind of Ant is This?

Ants are not all created equal. There are many species in Texas and it just takes some persistence and knowing what to look for to tell them apart. Most people think that only imported fire ants are around. But if you look closely and take time to learn a little ant biology, the ant world can be a captivating place. Red imported fire ants are real pests, with few natural enemies in the United States. Many other ants live here too, but most are not considered serious pests, although any ant may be considered to be a nuisance when locally abundant. In fact, some native ants are in constant competition with the imported fire ants and may even help humans in the war against this invading species.

Native and exotic "desirable" ant species that compete with fire ants are sometimes difficult to identify, but once their characteristics and habitats are revealed, most are easy to spot - and perhaps even use them to our advantage against imported fire ants. Described below are some common competitor ant species, how to identify them, what their nest looks like, where they live, and what they eat.