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Common Ant Species
There are thousands of ant species across the world, but here are some you are more likely to find in Ireland.
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.
Life cycle and habits of a Garden Ant
Life Cycle
- 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.
Roger’s Ant
(Hypoponera punctatissima)
Appearance
- Reddish brown in colour.
- Workers 2mm long.
- 1 large segment at the pedicel.
- First two segments of the abdomen are constricted.
- Sting present.
Life cycle and habits of a Rogers Ant
Life Cycle
- Little is known about the lifecycle.
Habits
- Workers forage randomly and lay no trails as live prey are hunted, especially springtails. Rarely seen outdoors.
- Swarming characteristics — will swarm all year round. Winged adults are often found in electric fly killers.
- Nest locations — damp residues and debris. Crevices around drains and behind broken wall tiles.
Ghost Ant
(Tapinoma melanocephalum)
Appearance
- Pale/Translucent legs and abdomen.
- Approx 1.6mm long.
Life cycle and habits of a Ghost Ant
Life Cycle
- Continuous breeding colonies.
Habits
- Feeding – indoors: sweet substances and grease; outdoors: insects that produce honeydew.
- Nesting – indoors: small spaces, wall voids; outdoors: in flowerpots, under objects on the ground, under loose bark.
- Locations - attracted to high moisture areas, can be found in kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
- Colonies can occupy several different nesting sites.
Pavement Ant
(Tetramorium caespitum)
Appearance
- Dark brown or blackish.
- Approx 3mm long.
- 6 legs.
- 2 spines on the back.
- 2 nodes on petiole.
- Grooves on head and thorax.
- Thorax uneven with 1 pair of spines.
- 12-segmented antennae with 3-segmented club.
- Winged ants are often mistaken for termites.
Life cycle and habits of a Pavement Ant
Life Cycle
- Visible spring and summer.
- Have been known to emerge any time of the year in heated structures.
Habits
- Feeding - eat almost anything that humans eat, and also pet food.
- Visibility - seen entering houses looking for food, most often at night. May move through pipes and electrical wires.
- Nesting - in lawns or under stones, wood, or boards. Mounds built along sidewalks, baseboards, and near foundations in clusters.
- Colonies found near water.
Pharaoh’s Ant
(Monomorium pharaonis)
Appearance
- Workers 1.5-2mm long, yellow-brown with brown abdomen.
- Males 3mm long, black, winged.
- Queens 3.5-6mm long, dark red in colour with wings.
- Black eyes, 2 small segments at the pedicel.
Life cycle and habits of a Pharaoh's Ant
Life Cycle
- Multi-queen colonies.
- Swarming can take place at any time of the year.
- Winged adults seldom fly so rarely seen. Wings are soon lost after mating.
Habits
- Well–defined trails are laid which are often associated with heating systems. Feeds indoors on high protein foods — meat, fats, blood, dead insects, etc.
- Swarming characteristics — new colonies are often formed through nests that have been disturbed e.g., as a result of insecticide spray treatments.
- Each queen produces up to 3500 eggs in its lifetime.
- Nest locations — deep seated in cavities in heated buildings. Often found in hospitals. Associated with humid conditions. Colonies can range from a few dozen to 300,000 individuals.