ANTS, BEES, AND WASPS

Little Black Ant, Monomorium minimum

Order: Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, and Wasps)

Size: Up to 1⁄16"

Habitat: Woodlands, rural areas, houses

Range: Throughout North America

Little Black Ants are common, tiny ants that are probably best known for finding their way into kitchens or pantries in search of food scraps. They have a complex social structure, with a queen (or queens) that produces eggs and workers that tend to the young and collect food for the colony. Workers are shiny black or dark brown and wingless, with elbowed antennae. The narrow waist, or pedicel, has two segments (although you’ll need a magnifying glass to see this). When a worker ant locates food, it communicates its find to other ants, and soon a trail of workers is formed from the food source to the colony. Colonies are located underground, in rotting woodpiles, or in voids in foundations and patios. The small size of these ants allows them to move through even the narrowest cracks in walls and flooring.