Pavement ants (Tetramorium caespitum) are common pests throughout British Columbia, particularly in urban areas like Vancouver. These small dark brown to black ants, measuring about 2.5 to 3 mm in length, are characterized by their grooved heads, thoraxes, and a pair of small spines on their backs.

They earned their name from their habit of nesting under sidewalks, driveways, and building foundations, where they pile excavated dirt in visible mounds on pavement surfaces. In BC’s mild climate, pavement ants thrive year-round, often moving indoors during colder months in search of warmth and food. They’re omnivorous scavengers that consume a wide variety of foods including insects, seeds, honeydew from aphids, and human foods such as meats, sweets, and greasy substances.

While they don’t cause structural damage like carpenter ants, they can become a significant nuisance when they invade homes, contaminating food supplies and establishing foraging trails that can extend up to thirty feet from their colonies. Though not aggressive, they can bite and sting if threatened, making professional pest control services often necessary for effective management in residential and commercial properties throughout the province.