All ants live in colonies, odorous house ant, the most common infestations in this area. These are the tiny little black ants that consist of an egg-laying female (queen), short-lived males, and workers (sterile females). The ants you see in your garden or kitchen areas are workers. The workers find food and communicate with other workers by depositing a chemical message. We cannot smell this pheromone but sticks around for a period. Most ant problems start in the spring when ants develop wings, fly to new locations, search for food, and establish a new nest.