Ants

• Working together, ants can tackle prey and food much larger than themselves.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Ants have six legs like all insects, but it's sometimes not easy to tell if you are looking at an ant or another species. Some ants are mistaken for termites; some wasps are mistaken for ants. Ants are one of the major human-structure pests. They will make their way into homes, office buildings, restaurants, hospitals and other places where they are drawn in the search for food and water. They can be of some benefit as some ants eat other pests like termites and fleas, but that often unseen benefit is usually outweighed by annoyance at their presence.
  
  

Carpenter Ant

• Carpenter ants are larger than most ants. They measure from 3/8 to 1/2 inch, with the queens sometimes reaching a full inch in size. The bodies of the wingless worker carpenter ants are usually either black in color or red and black. Carpenter ants are often mistaken for termites, but whereas termites have a straight body and straight front legs, the carpenter ant's waist is cinched and its front legs are bent. Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they do tunnel into it to create tunnels and galleries. Though they prefer a rotting wood stump in the woods, they will enter human structures and, if left unchecked, cause structural damage.
  
  

Velvet Ant

• Velvet ants are small, furry insects, bright red with a black stripe, or yellow and brown. Their unusual look make them an eye-catching sight as they pursue their solitary travels through grass or buildings. The velvet ant, though often mistaken for one and named for one, is not actually an ant; it's a wasp. Male velvet ants have two pairs of wings, black and transparent. Like others in the wasp or bee families, velvet ants mainly subsist on a diet of nectar and water. These are not aggressive insects, but the wingless female of the species can give a painful sting from the stinger on her abdomen if touched. When especially disturbed, velvet ants may squeak.
  
  

Red Imported Fire Ant

• Red fire ants are aggressive, dangerous and should be eliminated if near structures or homes.Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Red fire ants are a dull, reddish color, with a darker brown color on part of the abdomen. These ants make meals of live insects, dead animals and sweet fruit like honeydew melons. They are also attracted to sweet foods in the home as well as fats and proteins. They are considered extremely aggressive in protecting their space; if their nest is disturbed they will swarm out and go on the attack. Their sting is painful, even more so when large numbers are attacking and stinging at once.