Characteristics
Size: This ant is one of the smallest, with workers only reaching about 1/16 inch long and queens reaching 1/8 inch long.
Color: The little black ant is related to the Pharaoh Ant and is about the same size but is shiny black instead of orange.
Habits: 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 or other objects, as well as in open areas and in 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.
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 mealybugs but they also consume whatever human food they can find. Little black ants also feed on protein from live or dead insects.
Reproduction: Little black ants live together in colonies and each colony has at least one queen. The queen 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.
Other Information: Little black ants can carry 20 times their bodies weight. During the night, workers move eggs and young larvae deeper underground to protect them from the cold.
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