Little black ants are tiny, common insects often encountered in households. Workers typically measure about 1/16-inch in length, with queens being slightly larger at 1/8-inch. These ants are characterized by their dark brown to jet black, shiny bodies. Understanding their dietary habits provides insight into their behavior and presence in human environments.
Preferred Food Sources
Little black ants are omnivores, consuming a wide range of organic matter, but prefer sweet substances. Sugary foods like fruit juices, syrups, and candy provide them with a quick energy source. They are particularly drawn to honeydew, a sugary liquid secreted by aphids and other plant-sucking insects. These ants may even protect aphid colonies to ensure a continuous supply of this sweet resource.
Beyond sweets, proteins and fats are also important components of their diet, important for colony growth, including the queen and larvae. They consume dead insects, pet food, greasy food scraps, and various meats. They also prey on live insects. Their diet also includes seeds, pollen, vegetables, and cornmeal, showing their opportunistic feeding habits.
Foraging Strategies
Little black ants employ organized foraging strategies to locate and transport food back to their nests. Individual scout ants first leave the colony to search for food sources. When a scout finds food, it lays a pheromone trail back to the nest. This trail guides other worker ants to the discovered food.
Scouts return to the nest and recruit more workers, who follow the pheromone trail to the food. This coordinated effort allows the colony to efficiently gather food. Food items are either carried back whole or in pieces by the worker ants. For liquid foods, ants ingest them and share them with other colony members, including the queen and larvae, through trophallaxis.
Managing Ants Based on Diet
Understanding the diet of little black ants offers practical approaches for managing their presence. Removing accessible food sources is a primary step in prevention. This includes cleaning crumbs, spills, and storing pantry items in airtight containers. Managing pet food by keeping it sealed or cleaning bowls promptly also minimizes attraction.
Knowing their food preferences is useful for selecting appropriate ant baits. Baits combine a food attractant with a slow-acting insecticide. Since their dietary preferences can shift between sweets and proteins, using different types of baits (sugar-based or protein-based) can be effective. Worker ants carry the bait back to the nest, distributing the insecticide throughout the colony, which helps eliminate the infestation. Addressing outdoor food sources like fallen fruit or honeydew-producing aphids near the home can also reduce ants entering structures.