Paratrechina longicornis

(Black Crazy Ants)

Description

Black crazy ants are world-wide tramp ants spread by human commerce. Their highly mobile colonies are often found in houses or even nesting in cars parked a day or so. The workers are general scavengers and feeders at plant extrafloral nectaries; they probably also tend aphids and scale insects. The workers are extremely speedy and ‘excitable’ ants, and can be distinguished from other small black ants, such as Iridomyrmex, by their being very hairy. They lack stings, squirting formic acid at enemies. Figured are specimens seen at Hann River, photo courtesy of Alex Wild, http://www.myrmecos.net/ants/

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