Little black ants (Latin name: Monomorium minimum), just as their name supposes, are small and dark brown, black or jet black in color. They are a native species found throughout the United States.
Little Black Ant Appearance
The pedicel, or ant waist, in a little black ant is two-segmented. Their antennae have 12 segments and end in a three-segmented club. Worker little black ants can be 1.5 mm in length, while the queens can measure up to 4 mm. They do not have have spines, and their thorax is unevenly rounded. Little black ants have stingers, but it is too small to be effective against most threats. During the mating season both males and female reproductives have wings. The males die soon after mating and females shed their wings.
Little Black Ant Feeding
Little black ants are omnivorous. They eat insects, sweets, honeydew, vegetables, greasy or oily foods, corn meals and plant secretions. The workers forage in trails. They can frequently be seen along sidewalks and foundation walls.
Little Black Ant Colonies
Colonies of little black ants have moderate to large populations. There are usually two or more queens in one colony. Swarms of this species are common from June to August. During this time they mate and then the mated females form new colonies that tend to grow rapidly. Little black ants can live both outside and inside. They build nests in outside areas such as woodwork voids, rotting logs, cracks in cement, lawns and open areas. When making its home indoors, the little black ant can be located in wooden items, in walls, and the junction between the carpet and walls.
Gaps and cracks in exterior walls should be sealed when infestation occurs. Remove decaying wood, firewood, or other debris from around the structure. Because of their size it can be difficult to see little black ants, but their nests can be located by following the trail of a worker ant back to the colony. A pest control expert can provide the most effective treatment of little black ant infestations.
Chandler Pest Control
Contact Info:
2040 S ALMA SCHOOL RD, STE 1
CHANDLER, AZ 85286-7075
(480) 582-1219
