Local ant information

Ant control in Arizona

Learn what to look for around your property, explore your city, and ask about an inspection or a quote.

Phoenix, Arizona — city-inspired illustration

Ants in Arizona: what to know

Desert valleys and high country

Phoenix and Tucson have desert conditions, while Flagstaff has cold winters and a higher-elevation climate. Your location helps frame the questions to ask about ant activity.

After summer rain

Arizona’s monsoon brings a seasonal change in rainfall. Harvester ants may swarm after rain in spring or summer. Note whether the activity started after a storm.

Ants you may encounter

Arizona has harvester ants and native fire ants as well as ants that enter homes. Don’t assume every reddish ant is the same species. A photo can help start the conversation.

Learn more: University of Arizona ant guide · Arizona monsoon · Northern Arizona weather

Local research

Ants in Arizona: what the public record shows

Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which ants actually live in Arizona, when they are busiest, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.

4 to 35-foot-wide circular bare spots

Harvester ant bare-spot diameter

Large cleared circles in yards mark stinging harvester ant nests that may need treatment if near people or pets.

University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County

22 species of harvester ants found in the United States

Harvester ant species in the U.S.

Several occur in Arizona; some have barbed stingers that pull out like a honey bee's.

University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County

Ant species recorded in Arizona

Red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) — Reddish-brown stinging ant that builds hard dome mounds up to 18–24 inches high; APHIS lists infestations in AL, AR, CA, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA and Puerto Rico.…
Odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile) — Small (1/16–1/8 inch) brown-black ant that smells like rotten coconut when crushed; found throughout North America with the widest range and greatest ecological tolerance of any…
Harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex spp.) — Desert seed-gathering ants (1/4–1/2 inch) that clear 4- to 35-foot bare circles around nests up to three feet deep; 22 species occur in the U.S., several in Arizona. They sting…

When ants are busiest in Arizona

Harvester ants swarm in spring or summer, usually after a rainy period, and are least active during the hottest part of the day (Univ. of Arizona).

CDC/NIOSH notes fire ants have limited geographic distribution in Arizona. Univ. of Arizona recommends leaving harvester ant nests alone unless they threaten people or pets, and treating with hydramethylnon baits during midday heat.

For context, nationally

more than 367 million acres — Acres infested by imported fire ants. USDA APHIS
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Puerto Rico — States and territories with imported fire ant infestations (APHIS). USDA APHIS

Sources: Harvester Ants (Backyard Gardener #16); Imported Fire Ants; Odorous House Ant (Tapinoma sessile Say), EB1550E. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources

Explore Arizona cities

Avondale

Hot Desert · suburban setting

Ant control in Arizona

Ants in Arizona: what to know

Desert valleys and high country

After summer rain

Ants you may encounter

Ants in Arizona: what the public record shows

Ant species recorded in Arizona

When ants are busiest in Arizona

For context, nationally

Explore Arizona cities

Avondale

Buckeye

Casa Grande

Chandler

Flagstaff

Gilbert

Glendale

Goodyear

Lake Havasu City

Mesa

Peoria

Phoenix

Prescott

Scottsdale

Sierra Vista

Surprise

Tempe

Tucson

Yuma

Queen Creek

Ask about ant control in Arizona