Identification
The ant is one of the smallest, with workers only reaching about 1/16 inch long and queens reaching 1/8 inch long. Their coloring is dark brown to jet black. The antenna has 12 segments with a 3 segmented club on the end. The little black ant’s thorax is unevenly rounded and the pedicel has 2 segments. The ant can sting though the stinger is very weak and small.
Nests are found in soil, stumps, logs and under rocks and bark. They are sometimes found in homes in search of water. They will feed on sweets and fats on kitchen counters. Little black ants have large colonies with thousands of workers and many queens.
Life Cycle & Reproduction
Little black ants live together in colonies and each colony has at least one queen, but can have many. The queen(s) lays eggs that the worker ants guard, feed and defend. Eggs hatch into grubs, which grow into new workers. It takes ten days for ant eggs to hatch. Some ants have wings and if the colony gets too big, these ants fly away, mate, and start new colonies.
Behavior
Little black ants are active both during the day and at night, spending much of their time carrying food back to the nest. This ant is most commonly found outdoors and usually builds nests in the soil under debris, stones, rocks or other objects, as well as in open areas in lawns or turf. The nest opening has a small crater of soil around it. Sometimes, these ants will build their nests indoors behind walls or under carpets. The colonies are small but have numerous queens, and will relocate if they are disturbed. Little black ants can carry 20 times their body’s weight. They forage in trails, which can frequently be seen on foundation walls and along sidewalks outside. During the night, workers move eggs and young larvae deeper underground to protect them from the cold.
Diet
The little black ant has strong jaws but is unable to chew food. Instead they suck out the liquid and leave any solid parts behind. They prefer to eat the sweet honeydew produced by aphids and mealy bugs but they also consume whatever human food they can find. The ants will feed on meats, grease, oil, fruit, vegetables and vegetable products such as corn meal, and sweets. Little black ants also feed on protein from live or dead insects. The workers forage in scent marked trails along the edges of structures such as foundation walls and along sidewalks. They feed on aphids as a source of honeydew, plant secretions, and are predaceous on other insects.
Geographical Territory
The little black ant is a Native American species found throughout the United States. It can be seen in Southern California as well as the San Francisco Bay area, but is most commonly found in the eastern half of the United States.
Damage
Inside a structure, the little black ants can build nests in wood, decaying wood, and masonry.
|
