Odorous House Ant vs Pharaoh Ant
Odorous House Ants and Pharaoh ants are easy to mix up at a glance, but a few details separate them quickly. Here is how to tell which one you found and what, if anything, you should do about it.
Quick answer
Check for this first. An odorous house ant has small, uniformly dark ant with an uneven thorax, while a Pharaoh ant has very small, light yellow to amber body with a darker abdomen.
Side-by-side comparison
| Odorous House Ant | Pharaoh Ant | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Ants | Ants |
| Scientific name | Tapinoma sessile | Monomorium pharaonis |
| Size | 2–3 mm | 1.5–2 mm |
| Colors | Black and Brown | Yellow and Tan |
| Legs | 6 legs | 6 legs |
| Wings | No | No |
| Bites or stings | No | No |
| Risk | Nuisance | Nuisance |
| Key feature | Small, uniformly dark ant with an uneven thorax | Very small, light yellow to amber body with a darker abdomen |
Key differences
- Color: Odorous House Ants are black and brown; Pharaoh ants are yellow and tan.
- Signature feature: Odorous House Ants: small, uniformly dark ant with an uneven thorax. Pharaoh Ants: very small, light yellow to amber body with a darker abdomen.
How to identify odorous house ants
A small, dark brown to black ant that trails along counters and sinks looking for sweets. Crushed workers give off a smell often compared to rotten coconut.
- Small, uniformly dark ant with an uneven thorax
- Rotten-coconut odor when crushed
- Erratic, fast-moving trails, especially after rain
How to identify Pharaoh ants
A tiny, pale yellow ant that nests in warm, hidden spots inside walls, cabinets and appliances. Colonies split into new nests when disturbed, which makes them hard to control.
- Very small, light yellow to amber body with a darker abdomen
- Two-node waist and a three-segment antennal club
- Trails along plumbing, outlets and baseboards
Which one is more dangerous?
Neither is more dangerous than the other; both are rated nuisance on our scale.
Odorous house ants are a nuisance only; they rarely bite and don't sting. They don't bite, but in hospitals and kitchens they can carry bacteria onto clean surfaces.
Where and when you'll see each
Odorous House Ants turn up in the kitchen and in the bathroom, mostly in spring and summer. Pharaoh Ants turn up in the kitchen and in the bathroom, mostly in spring, summer, fall and winter.
Because they share habitat, you may find both in the same place, so check each individual.
What to do if you find one
Odorous House Ants: Wipe up crumbs and sugary spills and rinse recyclables. Read the full removal guide for more.
Pharaoh Ants: Use slow-acting baits only, because sprays cause colonies to split. Read the full removal guide for more.
Biology: ants
Ants live in colonies ruled by one or more egg-laying queens. The workers you see are sterile females foraging for the rest of the colony, so killing visible ants rarely solves anything. Winged ants, called swarmers, appear when a mature colony sends out new kings and queens.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between odorous house ants and Pharaoh ants?
Color: Odorous House Ants are black and brown; Pharaoh ants are yellow and tan.
Which is bigger, an odorous house ant or a Pharaoh ant?
Odorous House Ant: 2–3 mm. Pharaoh Ant: 1.5–2 mm.
Do odorous house ants or Pharaoh ants bite?
Odorous House Ants do not bite. Pharaoh Ants do not bite.
Where are they usually found?
Odorous House Ants: in the kitchen and in the bathroom. Pharaoh Ants: in the kitchen and in the bathroom.