Harvester Ant
Pogonomyrmex spp.
About the harvester ant
Harvester ants are large, robust red-to-dark-brown ants known for collecting seeds and clearing the vegetation in a wide circle around their nest entrance — making their mounds easy to spot. They deliver one of the most painful stings of any North American insect, and reactions can be severe in allergic individuals. They're primarily a western US species and rarely encountered in North Carolina.
Quick ID
5–10 mm robust red to dark-brown body with prominent square head and beard-like hairs.
In the Triangle
Not native to the Triangle; included for identification reference if you encounter one while traveling west.
Think you have harvester ants?
Free inspection from a licensed Castle Exterminators technician — Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Cary & the Triangle. We'll confirm the species and recommend a treatment plan.
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