Acrobat Ant

Introduction: Acrobat ants include several species. Their common name is descriptive of this ants habit of raising the abdomen over the thorax and head especially when disturbed.

Recognition: Workers monomorphic about 1/16"-1/8" (2.5-4mm) long queens range up to 3/8" long. Color light brown to black sometimes multicolored. Antenna 11-segmented with 3-segmented club. Thorax with 1 pair dorsal spines.

Habits: Inside structures acrobat ants typically nest in wood which has been subjected to high moisture and fungal decay the same wood conditions favored by carpenter ants. Similarly they will nest in Styrofoam insulation panels and in wall voids. Outside most species nest under rocks or in logs firewood or trees where decay enables them to tunnel under the bark and/or into the wood. They occasionally will nest in abandoned termite and carpenter ant galleries as well as in old wood borer powderpost beetle or wood wasp tunnels.

Tagged: 6 legs, ant, black, crawling, elbowed antenna, shiny, small