Lasius niger

E89212

Lasius niger is a common European black garden ant species known for forming large colonies and nesting in soil, lawns, and under stones.

Jump to: Statements Referenced by

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ant species
eusocial organism
insect
behavior forms trails to food sources
tends aphids for honeydew
binomialName Lasius niger self-link
class Insecta
colonySize up to several tens of thousands of workers
commonName black garden ant
common black ant
communication pheromones
describedBy Carl Linnaeus
diet honeydew from aphids
small insects
sugary substances
ecologicalRole predator of small arthropods
soil aeration
family Formicidae
foragingBehavior surface foraging
foragingTime primarily daytime
genus Lasius
habitat gardens
lawns
soil
under stones
introducedTo North America
kingdom Animalia
matingSystem monogynous colonies are common
nativeTo Europe
nestLocation in cracks in walls
under pavements
nestType soil nest
nuptialFlightSeason summer
nuptialFlightTrigger warm humid weather
order Hymenoptera
overwintering colony becomes dormant in winter
pestStatus common household nuisance species in Europe
phylum Arthropoda
queenColor dark brown to black
queenLength 7–9 mm
queenLongevity up to about 15 years or more in captivity
reproduction nuptial flight
socialStructure colony-forming
subfamily Formicinae
taxonRank species
workerColor dark brown to black
workerLength 3–5 mm
workerLongevity up to a few years
yearDescribed 1758

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Lasius niger binomialName Lasius niger self-link
Formicidae containsSpecies Lasius niger