Taxonomy
Lasius niger | Small Black Ant
Distribution
Status
Conservation status
Not Assessed
Species Biology
Identification
- Small species (body length of workers: 3.5-5mm)
- Head, thorax and abdomen dark brown/blackish in colour
- Difficult to separate from other Lasius species and microscopic examination is required in most cases
Diet
This species has a rather wide-ranging diet, which includes honeydew secreted by aphids, dead or dying insects, seeds and secretions from larvae of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. Flowers may occasionally be visited for nectar also.
Habitat
A wide range of habitats are used, including grasslands, woodland edges, farmland, parks, gardens, coastal dunes and brownfield land. Little preference exist regarding soil type, but it will avoid wet, waterlogged soils.
Flight period
Males emerge in June and can be seen until August or September. Workers may be observed throughout much of the year, although tend to be less active between November and March.
Nesting biology
Nests are constructed in a wide range of settings, including under stones and rocks, along dry soil paths and sometimes in constructed mounds. Nests are founded by a single queen and may contain several hundred workers.
Similar species
- Other small black ant species, particularly Lasius species
Distribution
World distribution(GBIF)
Irish distribution
Widespread and reasonably common throughout the island, although it is scarcer in northern areas.
Temporal change
Records submitted to Data Centre in 2024
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