Black Ant

Life Cycle

• A larva hatches from an egg as a white grub, which is narrower towards the head. The larvae are fed by the adults.
• A larva pupates and appears creamy-white, looking similar to an adult. Sometimes they have a protective silk cocoon around them.The adult emerges with three defined body sections: head, thorax and abdomen.
• The length of time between the egg stage and ants emerging as adults can be 6 weeks or more; it depends on a variety of factors, such as the species of ant, the temperature and the availability of food.
• Fertilized eggs become females; unfertilized eggs become males.

Habits

• These ants are regarded as a nuisance and scavenge in kitchens, garbage and dog excrement – potentially spreading diseases such as salmonella.
• A commonly seen ant is the intensely black ‘Black House Ant’, which is attracted to sweets.
• The light yellowish-brown ‘Coastal Brown Ant’ prefers to feed on meat products and grease.
• The most effective control measure is to find the colony and treat it.