Pavement ants are small ants about 1/8th inch long and dark brown to black in color. They are found throughout the eastern half of the U.S. and are a major pest in the upper Midwest. The name for this ant comes from its habit of nesting under sidewalks and driveways and piling dirt removed from the nest in a mound on top of the pavement.

In addition to nesting under sidewalks, pavement ants colonies can be found under other items lying on top of the ground, including stones, logs, boards, bricks and patio blocks. They may nest in open soil close to building foundations or under mulch in landscaped beds. Only rarely do the ants nest indoors in walls, under floors or in insulation.

Pavement ants will feed on a wide variety of different foods, though greasy and sweet materials are preferred. Worker ants may forage for food up to 30 feet from the colony and readily set up trails to and from food sources.

As with any pest problem, diligent sanitation is a key control method. However, these ants are extremely capable of adapting and surviving, so some type of pesticide application is usually necessary to gain adequate control of the situation.