Hello,

That appears to be a Wood or field ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Formini ).

Yard or field ants belong to a group of ants known as formini ants. Other members of this group include carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.), wood ants (Formica spp.) and mound ants (Formica spp.) These are 'outdoor' ants and are not normally found in homes. Yard ants live in galleries in the soil but they do not construct the large mounds that their cousins do, nor do they chew up wood like their other cousins do. They are just your basic, garden variety ants that do no harm whatsoever. In fact, these ants are beneficial in that they feed on many of the insect pests that live in our yards and gardens. They can be difficult to control in yards due to their subterranean habits and large colony size.   Spraying the outside of the foundation with a persistent insecticide such as bifenthrin (sold as Ortho Home Defense Max) or other insecticides registered for this use can also help reduce the number of insects entering homes.

Another approach that is gaining strength in the pest control industry is to spray all possible entry points on the outside of the building (where sills and foundations meet, around doors, windows, vents and utilities) with fipronil (sold as Termidor SC or Taurus SC).  Fipronil forms a non-repellent barrier that the ants cannot detect.  They pick it up and spread it through the colony.  Neither of these insecticides is widely available but they can be purchased over the internet or at John Deere Landscaping (formerly Lesco’s).  Neither product is labeled for use inside homes and other buildings.  Termidor and Taurus should only be applied during the warmer months of the year when the ants are active outside. Taurus is less expensive. 

Both can be purchased online at:

http://pestcontrol.domyownpestcontrol.com/search?w=taurus%20sc

http://pestcontrol.domyownpestcontrol.com/search?view=grid&w=termidor+sc

Mature ant colonies produce swarmers that are the winged reproductive members of the colony. Swarmers of different species of ant occur about the same time each year and generally only last for a week or two. Most of the swarmers die within a few days, only a very small percentage is successful in establishing a new colony.

When winged yard ants appear in large numbers in basements or other structures, generally it means that a nest of yard ants is located very close to the foundation of the building. Winged forms do not normally persist longer than one or two weeks.  Household aerosol insecticides are sufficient to control this temporary problem.

Be sure to read and follow all instructions and safety precautions found on the label before using any pesticide