
PHARAOH ANT EXTERMINATOR - MONTREAL & SOUTH SHORE
About Pharaoh Ants (Monomorium Pharaonis)
Activity
Pharaoh ants are highly active and known for their constant movement in search of nourishment and moisture. These tiny insects operate mostly indoors and don’t rest for long, using complex pheromone trails to communicate and guide others to resources. Their colonies are active year-round, especially in heated buildings, and can rapidly spread across multiple rooms or units.
Feeding Habits
Their diet is varied and includes proteins, greasy substances, sugars, and even other dead insects. Pharaoh ants are frequently found foraging in kitchens, pantries, hospitals, and food preparation areas. They are attracted to uncovered food, leftovers, and any organic material they can access. Contamination is a major concern, especially in places where hygiene is critical.
Size and Appearance
Adult pharaoh ants are incredibly small, measuring just 1.5 to 2 millimeters. They are yellow to light brown in color, with a darker abdomen. Their petite size allows them to move through minuscule gaps, electrical outlets, and wall voids without being noticed. Because of their size and color, they often blend into light-colored surfaces.
Presence in Quebec
Pharaoh ants are a growing issue in residential and commercial buildings across Quebec, particularly in densely populated areas like Montreal. These pests thrive in heated indoor environments, making them a year-round threat. Multi-unit buildings, older properties, and locations with frequent moisture issues are especially prone to infestation.
Indoor Behavior
Pharaoh ants build expansive colonies inside wall cavities, behind baseboards, or within insulation. They often nest near heat sources, plumbing, and electrical systems. Once established, they spread quickly through shared walls and conduits, which makes eradication difficult in apartment buildings or office towers.
Outdoor Survival
Unlike other ant species, pharaoh ants do not fare well outdoors in Quebec’s climate. They rely heavily on indoor conditions for survival and reproduction. Their presence outdoors is rare and usually limited to the warmer months near buildings with open access points.
Reproduction and Colony Structure
These ants multiply rapidly thanks to a polygynous colony system, which means a single colony can contain several queens. This allows for frequent reproduction and colony expansion. When threatened, they may split into multiple subcolonies — a process known as budding — which makes infestations harder to control.
Common Locations in Montreal
In the Montreal region, pharaoh ants are commonly encountered in apartment complexes, restaurants, hospitals, and grocery stores. Because of their ability to spread unnoticed and contaminate surfaces, they are considered a major pest in both residential and commercial settings.
Difficult to Eliminate
Pharaoh ants are notorious for surviving many DIY treatments. Using the wrong type of insecticide can actually worsen the infestation by triggering colony splitting. For this reason, professional pest control is essential. With the right strategy and ongoing monitoring, their presence can be effectively controlled and eventually eliminated.
Signs of a Pharaoh Ant Infestation
Pharaoh ants are small, elusive invaders that often go unnoticed until they’ve formed a well-established network throughout a home or building. Their ability to remain hidden while expanding quickly makes early detection essential. Here’s how to recognize their silent takeover before it spreads too far.
1. Tiny ants in unexpected places
If you notice small, pale-yellow ants trailing along walls, countertops, or appliances—especially in warm, humid spots like kitchens or bathrooms—it’s not just coincidence. Even a few scouts can indicate a larger colony hidden within the structure.
2. Trails forming near food or water
Pharaoh ants are experts at locating resources. You may start seeing long lines of ants leading to pet bowls, garbage bins, sinks, or pantry shelves. These coordinated movements are a key sign that a colony is actively foraging.
3. Frequent reappearance after cleaning
Wiping down surfaces or using over-the-counter sprays may eliminate a few ants temporarily, but if they keep coming back in the same areas, the source is deeper. This persistence suggests multiple nests hidden inside walls or cabinets.
4. Activity in electrical outlets or wall gaps
These ants use tiny cracks and voids to move between rooms. Sightings near baseboards, outlet covers, or cable entry points could mean they’re using your building’s internal framework as a highway.
5. Ants near medical or hygiene products
Unusually, Pharaoh ants are also attracted to the glucose in IV tubes, toothpaste, or even wounds. In healthcare or residential care settings, this poses a serious contamination risk and shouldn’t be ignored.
6. Nesting in appliances or electronics
Warmth attracts Pharaoh ants. It’s not uncommon to discover them near microwaves, routers, coffee machines, or under refrigerators. These hiding spots provide both heat and protection from disturbance.
7. Colonies splitting and spreading
If you’ve tried DIY treatments and suddenly notice ants in new areas of your home, you may have triggered a colony split. When threatened, Pharaoh ants will fragment into multiple smaller colonies, spreading the problem instead of solving it.
8. Unusual sightings in bedrooms or offices
While most ants stay near the kitchen, Pharaoh ants can appear in unlikely rooms—on desks, nightstands, or shelving units. If they’re being found away from food zones, they’ve already expanded far beyond their original nest.
9. Invisible nests, visible movement
You may not see where they’re nesting, but frequent movement in corners, behind blinds, or along edges of walls is a clear indication of a nearby infestation. These ants operate in silence but leave subtle movement patterns behind.
10. Infestation persists despite effort
If repeated cleaning, sealing, and spraying doesn’t resolve the issue, you’re likely dealing with a complex, multi-queen colony that’s deeply embedded. At this point, professional pest control becomes the most effective option.
The Sooner You Act, the Better the Outcome
Pharaoh ants don’t go away on their own. Acting quickly when you spot these early signs can stop the spread and reduce the health risks associated with their presence. Their ability to multiply, fragment, and adapt makes them one of the most persistent indoor pests—don’t wait until they’ve taken over.
Understanding Pharaoh Ants
Pharaoh ants are one of the most persistent indoor pests in Quebec, especially in buildings with steady heat and high humidity. Tiny and nearly translucent, these ants form expansive colonies hidden deep within walls, behind cabinets, or inside electrical outlets. Though they don’t sting or transmit direct harm through bites, their presence poses serious concerns. Drawn to sweet substances, proteins, and oily residues, they infiltrate kitchens, pantries, and even medical supplies. Left unchecked, pharaoh ants can contaminate food, invade sterile environments, and spread rapidly throughout a structure—often signaling a deeper sanitation or moisture imbalance within the property.
The Problem with Pharaoh Ant Infestations
One of the major challenges with Pharaoh ants is their ability to remain hidden while forming large colonies. These ants are tiny, often unnoticed due to their light yellow color and small size, and they prefer nesting in tight, hard-to-reach spaces like behind walls, inside furniture, or under flooring. Their ability to thrive in hidden areas means they can expand their colony without detection, leading to an infestation that is often difficult to address until it's too late.
Store-bought traps and sprays may seem like a quick solution, but they usually only target a fraction of the colony. These products often fail to reach the hidden nests, leaving the majority of the population unaffected. Additionally, improper use of these chemicals can harm your household, including pets and children. The most effective way to deal with a Pharaoh ant infestation is to seek professional pest control. Experts can assess the severity of the problem and implement precise treatments that will address the root cause of the infestation and ensure lasting results.
Our Approach to Pharaoh Ant Control
Dealing with a Pharaoh ant problem requires more than just basic cleaning or store-bought traps. These tiny ants are extremely discreet and can hide in confined spaces for long periods without being detected. Due to their secretive behavior and ability to survive in harsh conditions, it takes a professional approach to completely eliminate them from your environment.
Our trained specialists conduct a thorough inspection of your property to locate the areas where Pharaoh ants are most active. Whether they are nesting behind walls, in basements, inside cabinets, or around plumbing fixtures, we identify their hiding spots and assess the factors contributing to the infestation, such as excess humidity, cracks in the structure, or stored food and materials.
Once the extent of the issue is determined, we apply precise, professional-grade treatments designed to reach areas that store-bought solutions cannot. These methods are carefully selected to be effective while also protecting your living or working space. Our goal is not just to reduce the number of visible ants but to eliminate the infestation at its source and prevent future outbreaks. With our expert care, you’ll regain peace of mind knowing your home or business is truly free from Pharaoh ants, allowing you to focus on your daily life without worry.

If you're dealing with Pharaoh Ants or have any questions, feel free to call our pest control experts at (438) 543-4691. We're here to take care of the problem quickly and efficiently.
Our team will ensure that your property is completely ant-free, giving you peace of mind knowing the issue is resolved. Let us handle it so you can focus on what matters most.
