Black Ant or Garden Ant

Lasius niger

Appearance

• Workers 4–5mm long.
• Queens 15mm long.
• Dark brown–black in colour.
• 1 small segment at waist point (pedicel).
• No sting present.

Lifecycle

• Queens overwinter in soil. Eggs are laid in late spring. Larvae hatch 3–4 weeks later.
• Larvae feed on secretions from the queen’s salivary glands until the first worker ants emerge.
• Worker ants continue with larval care, nest building and food foraging.
• Fertile males are produced later in the season.

Habits

• Foraging worker ants follow well–defined trails around food sources. Sweet foods are preferred but high protein foods will also be taken.
• Swarming characteristics – mating between queens and fertile males takes place on the wing mid to late summer. Males perish after mating.
• Nest locations – often outdoors in soil and below paving slabs on the sunny side of buildings. Nest locations can be identified by the presence of finely powdered soil around nest exit holes.

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