Ant – Arboreal Bicoloured

Ant – Arboreal Bicoloured(Tetraponera rufonigra )Appearance:Large, 10.5-13mm, slender body, head and gaster black with the rest of the body orange-red; two nodes : petiole with well developed postpetiole.Life Cycle Notes: Solitary forager, nesting in dead wood, rotting logs, wooden beams and posts. Very aggressive, has extremely painful sting and not shy to use it at all. Easily identified by jerky walking movements; commonly found around coconut and mango trees. Large compound eyes provide acute vision; will dart to the far side of twigs or branches when approached. Will feed on proteins

but takes sugars readily; has a preference to feed on termites so its presence is a good indicator of a termite colony nearby. Colony: Small, with a queen and few hundred monomorphic workers.

Ant - Black Crazy

Ant - Black Crazy(Paratrechina longicornis )Appearance:Small, slender body with long antennae and legs, dark brown to black with a gray luster, 2-3.5mm long; circular ring of hairs at the end of oval, large gaster (visible with hand lens); node absent.Life Cycle: Notes: commonly found scurrying around pavements and kitchens in a seemingly erratic, confused manner. Easily identified by large antennae and legs compared to body size. Feed on proteins (seeds, insects) as well as sugars, also tends homopterans. Usually moves in trails though solitary foraging also occurs. Nests made in cracks and crevices and also under floors, in voids, soil of potted plants and under bricks.Colony : small, with many queens and few thousand monomorphic workers; colonies can be interconnected leading to large infestations.

Ant - Common Acrobat

Ant - Common Acrobat (Crematogaster Spp. )

Appearance: Small, 3-3.5mm long, chestnut-red body with darker, almost black, large heart-shaped gaster; two nodes and two propodeal spines, stinger present. Monomorphic workers.Life Cycle: Notes: Common ant, widely distributed throughout the country. Aggressive when disturbed, raises gaster high in the air (hence the name &ldquo;acrobat&rdquo;) to release alarm pheromone, giving off a strong odour. Gaster also raised when foraging. Carton nests constructed in damp areas indoors; outdoors in grass, decayed or damp wood, contain fungus gardens which the ant tends. Forms trails along building edges, which lead to the nest. Both proteins and sugars are fed upon; preys on termite alates and early instar larvae or various lepidopterans, also tends homopterans for honeydew.<br /><br />Colony : medium, with queen and several thousand workers

Ant - Common Ghost or Odour Ant

Ant - Common Ghost or Odour Ant(Tapinoma melanocephalum )Appearance: Tiny, 1.5-2mm long, with black to dark brown head and mesonotum and a distinct pale yellowish-white gaster; node absent on petiole.Life Cycle: Notes: One of the most common ants found in urban dwellings and readily enters buildings, inhabiting crevices, cracks in walls and between cabinets and walls, soil of potted plants, old bandages, cloth lining of instrument cases and even laptops. Workers are monomorphic and run rapidly and erratically, forming trails along edges and corners. Trails are often hidden under carpets and

along electrical wires. It has high moisture needs and often trails to wash-basins, commodes and bathing areas. In an outdoor environment, the ant prefers honeydew and insects, both dead and living; indoors, it can be seen running about on dining tables and kitchen slabs, looking for sweet food and sources of water. Colony : moderate to large, can contain thousands of workers and many queens.

Ant - Common Godzilla

Ant - Common Godzilla(Camponotus compressus )Appearance: Large, black and opaque body, with reddish brown legs and massive gaster; major workers with large mandibles, 11-16mm long and minor workers with smaller heads, 6-8mm long; distinct triangular-shaped node on petiole.Life Cycle: Notes: The largest, commonly seen ant in the country, present in all habitats including parks, gardens, plantations and in and around human habitation. Common visitor to public lavatories, where it feeds on urea. Nests are usually underground galleries, at the base of trees. General predator and also tends homopterans for honeydew, foraging singly or in small groups running tandemly. Mandibles of major worker can easily slice through human skin.Colony : moderate with queen and thousands of polymorphic workers.

Ant - Common Red Fire

Ant - Common Red Fire(Solenopsis germinata )Appearance: Major workers with large heads and sharp mandibles, 7mm long, reddish-yellow with mandibles and gaster dark reddish-brown; minor workers, 3-4.5mm, pale yellow with oval, reddish-brown gaster; two nodes. Polymorphic, with major and minor workers.Life Cycle: Notes: Takes its name from the burning sensation caused by its bite, which can also cause itching and minor swelling. Commonly found in and around homes, preferring high-protein food and is usually first to arrive at left-overs such as chicken or fish bones, forming large trails from the nest to the feeding source. Characteristic nest has a layer of soil particles raised above the ground with several entrances; nests are often made in door crevices and foundations of buildings. An invasive species, considered a pest on horticultural crops.

Ant - Pharaoh

Ant - Pharaoh(Monomorium pharaonis )Appearance: Tiny, major workers 3mm long with reddish-yellow body and end of gaster black; minor workers 2mm long with head and mesosoma pale in colour; two nodes. Polymorphic, with major and minor workers.Life Cycle: Notes: Commonly seen in backyards, gardens and parks. Preferred nesting sites in warm and humid areas near sources of food and water. Forms visible trails from nest. Indoors, it will use electrical and telephone wires, plumbing and other utility lines as trail routes. Has a wide preference for foods with protein and sugar content and forages very actively for water : sources can be unusual; aquariums, pet dishes, condensation on plumbing fixtures, air conditioners, house plants and even from wounds of immobile patients in healthcare facilities!Colony : from small with single queen and hundreds of workers to large with several queens and several hundred thousand workers.

Ant - Short-legged Hunchback

Ant - Short-legged Hunchback (Myrmicaria brunnea )Appearance: Medium, 5.5-8mm long, chestnut-red with black gaster; pair of sharp spines on propodeum.Life Cycle: Notes: One of the most common ants found all over the country. Builds characteristic crater-like nests around the base of trees and in open ground. Excellent scavanger that also tends homopterans for honeydew. Has a distinct foraging trait; it holds the gaster bent at right angles to the body, with the tip pointing down. Forages both in groups and singly. Colony : medium to large, with several thousand monomorphic workers.

Ant - Spiny Harvester Ant or Big headed Ant

Ant - Spiny Harvester Ant or Big headed Ant(Pheidole watsoni )Appearance: Major workers with large heads (with the back of the head being heart-shaped) and mandibles, 4mm long, reddish-brown with brown gaster; minor workers, 1.5mm long, pale yellow to brown with darker head and gaster; two nodes and two propodeal spines; polymorphic, with major and minor workers.Life Cycle: Notes: Colonies are small, with around 200-300 members. A terrestrial ant, often making nests in wall-floor junction and cracks on floors and walls. Nest entrance is cleared and soil particles placed about 3-5cms away from it. Trails are formed readily, but usually not far away from the nest. The ant prefers seeds and insects but will readily feed on honeydew and sugary substances. Indoors, the ants forage for high-protein foods such as meats, molasses, peanut butter, pet food, cereals, etc.

Ant - White-footed Ghost

Ant - White-footed Ghost(Technomyrmex albipes )Appearance: Shiny black, 2.5-3mm long, with a distinctly oval gaster and the last

segment of legs pale yellow to whitish in colour; node absent on petiole. Colonies are large, often containing a million (ten lakhs) or more monomorphic workers.Life Cycle: Notes: ften seen in gardens, forming longs trails and feeding on sources of nectar, also tending homopterans for their honeydew. Nests can also be found in flowerpots, under stones, firewood, bricks and heavy vegetation at foundations. Indoors, nests have been found in electrical circuit boards, cracks in walls and inside air-conditioners. Well-defined, easy-to-find foraging trails are tell-tale sign; commonly follow building guidelines such as edges, pavements, ledges and corners. Indoors, can be seen along the skirting and below carpet edges. Sweets are preferred food source.