Facts on Sweets-Eating Black Ants

Life style

• The little black or sweet-eating ant is typically found in and around human dwellings and along the edge of forest habitats. Little black ants are highly gregarious or social insects and form large groups. Significant numbers of little black ants are therefore found in any one nest. These groups -- or colonies -- comprise members that perform defined functions. Although this species of ant normally builds nests underground, they may also build them in rotting wood or trees. The majority of sweets-eating ant eggs hatch into workers after 10 days. These that have wings will relocate to begin a new colony once the original becomes too large for the current nest.

Physical characteristics

• The little black ant derives its name from its diminutive size and its coal-black color. Worker ants are the smallest members of the colony, at only 1/16 inch, while the queen is considerably larger, at 1/8 inch. Each nest has only a single queen. Despite their powerful jaws, these ants do not chew, but instead effectively suck the liquid from their food. Sweets-eating ants run their antennae over objects of interest, utilizing these sense organs to smell and to feel. As is typical of insects, little black ants also have six legs.

Activities

• Little black ants spend much of each day carrying food back to their nest. Each ant is capable of carrying at least 20 times its own weight. Despite their name, sweets-eating ants will accept the majority of foods they come across, including bread, cooked vegetables and even meat. These ants are also known to scavenge the carcasses of dead insects.

Roles

• It is the function of the queen to lay eggs. Sweets-eating ant workers both guard and nurture these eggs. The worker ant is a multi-tasker. These little colony inhabitants are responsible for sourcing, gathering and supplying the nest with food. They also feed the young ants in the colony and protect the nest against enemies. In addition, worker ants move the larvae and eggs deeper into the earth each night as protection from the cold.