Both are highly social insects and live in colonies. 

Ant colonies build structures called nests, many prefer to nest in the ground.

Ants are very active at this time of year, you can find them trailing across floors, corners, and even in electrical outlets.  They can invade your home from any and every direction.  They are among the most successful of insects. 

Four of the most common ants are:  Carpenter, Argentine, Pavement and Fire.  Successful management requires identification due to wide variations in feeding and other habits of different ant species.   Some ants, for example, can digest granulated baits, while others can't.  Proper procedures followed in ant control may depend greatly on the species of ant, nature of infestation and location of the nest.  A typical ant colony can contain thousands of members.  So seeing just a few can mean there are many more.