How to Stop Sugar Ants and Their Creepy Cousins in Texas

Lately, it feels like sugar ants are everywhere, even in places where I haven’t actually seen them. You might call them sugar ants, Pharaoh ants, house ants… or, as our Texas elders used to say, P!$$ ants. Whatever the name, they're popping up in homes and workplaces all over West Texas. But why now?

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Despite all the recent rain and flooding, these ants are still marching indoors. I reached out to our trusted local pest experts at The Pest Patrol in Abilene to get some answers.

They're Not After Sugar, They're After Shelter

It turns out these ants aren’t coming for your sweets (well, unless you leave the lid off your favorite white chocolate mocha like I did). They're chasing moisture and dry ground, just like the rest of us. As Keeli Hurt from Pest Patrol explained, even though we’ve had rain, it’s exactly this excess water that’s driving ants inside, looking for safer, drier places to set up shop.

Not All Ants Are Just Annoying

Sugar ants aren’t destructive, but they’re not the only ones sneaking in. Keeli warns that carpenter ants are a whole different story, they can cause serious damage to your home. And where ants go, termites often follow. That’s why now’s the time to get a professional inspection, especially if you're spotting ant activity indoors.

The Origin of “P!$$ Ants”

Curious about the nickname? I called my friend Dr. Whittington, a linguistics professor from UT Dallas. She traced the term “P!$$ ant” back to 1920s Arizona, where ants were frequently found near restrooms, drawn to the moisture and the acidic scent of urine. Some ants, like odorous house ants, even release a strong smell when crushed, sometimes compared to rotten, soured coconut, watermelon, or, well... you get the idea.

It's Not Just Ants, Watch the Attic

The team at Pest Patrol also reminded me that ants may be the least of our worries. If they’re coming in, scorpions, brown recluse spiders, black widows, and even attic-loving carpenter ants might not be far behind.

Bottom line? It’s shaping up to be a creepy critter summer in West Texas. And if you’re seeing ants, or anything else with too many legs, it’s time to do something about it. Either call a professional and let them handle it or do what I just learned, use powdered sugar and baking soda mixed together and sprinkled along the ant trails, problem solved check out the video below.

It's time we take control of our homes and send those little you know what ants to bed permanently.

Deadly Texas: The Lone Star State's Most Dangerous Insects & Arachnids

Encounters with Texas insects can be magical (think flights of Monarch butterflies!), but mostly they tend to be neutral or negative. Should you really worry about creepy crawlies in Texas? These are the insects and arachnids you probably should be aware of, as they all could prove potentially fatal (although that outcome is very rare).

Gallery Credit: Renee Raven