Get Rid of Harvester Ants

Red harvester ants are large, winged insects that “swarm” when flying out from their nest in large numbers. This swarm occurs when searching for female mates to start another colony.

The Texas red harvester ant is large and red. They are ground-nesting and prefer cultivated soil. Uniquely, the ants clear vegitation from the area around the nest. Their diet consists largely of seeds.

Sometimes called the rough harvester ant, the black harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex rugosus (Emery), is dark colored, usually black or reddish black and is found from the west coast to Texas. These ants gather seeds and can sting.

Western harvester ants are a vivid red color. They are found across the western U.S.. Workers build cone shaped mounds used to warm the queen and young on cold days. Reproductives participate in annual swarms to reproduce.

Harvester ants earned their name from seed gathering. During construction, they clear an area around the colony entrance. Workers constantly forage for food. When new sources are located, a message is sent to others.