We generally associate ants with being small, no larger than a tiny black dot, but some ants can grow surprisingly large. The largest living ant currently is the Queen Driver Ant, which can grow up to over 2 inches. Fortunately, the other driver ants tend to be of less gargantuan proportions, with soldier ants coming up to slightly less than an inch.

The massive queen is generally harmless, as she does little else apart from reproducing. Bullet ants can grow up to more than an inch, which is a terrifying thought considering their painful bite that is said to resemble a bullet shot. These ants are said to deliver the worst possible kind of pain known to mankind with their bites, which makes the thought of their size all the more terrifying.

The largest known ant is 2.4 inches long with a wingspan of 5.9 inches. Luckily (or unluckily) for us, these giants no longer exist today. The average ant today ranges from 0.03 to 2 inches, with most ants tending to be on the smaller end of the scale.

Though if big ants scare you, no fear – there are a wide variety of means today to control and prevent ant infestations in your home. Simple home remedies include the highly effective but troublesome diatomaceous earth, while commercial products such as EcoRaider®’s natural, child-safe and pet-safe insecticides and repellants are extremely effective, even on monster-sized ants.