Ants

Black Ant or Garden Ant/Lasius Niger

Appearance

•  Workers 4–5mm long.
•  Queens 15mm long.
•  Dark brown–black in colour.
•  one 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.