The resulting workers are small. They begin to forage for food for themselves and the queen. The queen then becomes an egg-laying machine. When a certain density or size is attained, new royal pairs are produced. Adult males do not remain in the nest long and are produced only in older or very large colonies.
Ants are highly adaptable in their nesting habits.
For example, pavement ants usually nest along sidewalks and driveways and around or in foundation walls, but they also may nest in the basement, under a porch, or in the lawn. Indoor-nesting species, such as the small, red Pharaoh ant and thief ant, sometimes nest outdoors during summer in the North. Outdoor-nesting species sometimes make their nests inside a building. You usually can find their nests by watching the movement of the ants. Note where they are coming from or where they are going after feeding.