Termite Inspection Orange County Termite Terry Pest Control

Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, South Orange County, Long Beach Area

Big-Headed Ants Invade Costa Mesa!

State agricultural officials have confirmed presence of the aggressive “Pheidole megacephala” species of the big-headed ant in the front yard of a home in Costa Mesa. This is the first documented sighting of this species in its natural environment anywhere in California.

Big-headed ants are native to Africa but are sometimes found in humid regions such as Florida and Hawaii. Officials believe the ants may have arrived in our area on a plant or in a shipment that was overlooked by agriculture inspectors.

“While the ants don’t pose a significant threat to humans, they can displace native ant populations and present problems for other insects, as well as agriculture,” said Richard Tiffer, a plant pathologist with the Orange County agriculture commissioner’s office.