Ants

Ants are social insects and live in large colonies.

Species characteristics

Argentine ants are dark brown insects. Argentine ants are common along the coast. The workers are all one size (= 3 mm). The move along well defined trails and are active 24 hours a day. Argentine ants feed on a variety of food stuff although they prefer sweet foods.

Black sugar ants are shiny in appearance. They occur throughout South Africa and are also common in fynbos. The workers are all one size. They work 24 hours a day and forage well defined trails. They will take most kinds of food.

Brown house ants are light brown ants and are sometimes also referred to as the big-headed ants. The workers occur in two sizes of which the soldiers have bigger heads. The smaller or minor workers are 2mm in length and the bigger or major workers are 3.5mm in length. The workers don’t always run in definite trails and are most active at night. Their food preferences include fats, sugar and honeydew.

Pugnacious ants are reddish brown with a head redder than the rest of the body. Pugnacious ants are very common in South Africa and prefer open areas. Workers vary in size from 2-10mm. They run in haphazard directions and attack anything in site. Pugnacious ants are predators and seed dispersers.