The Field Ant
Filed Ants (Formica) By Derek Parkinson, CC BY-SA 2.0,
Field ants (Formica spp) are one of the most common outdoor ants sighted in the US. They are the largest genus of ants found in New Mexico but have spread across the area. Their name itself indicates their preferred choice of habitat. They do not infest buildings but can infest areas around the building, creating a nuisance.
HOW TO IDENTIFY FIELD ANTS
- Brown body, black abdomen
- Other species can be brown, yellow, red and black or a mix of these color
- Body length varies from 4mm to 8mm
- Six Legs
- Unevenly rounded body
- Shiny body
Appearance, Behavior, and Signs
- Field ants make mounds out of grass, soil, twigs, and leaves. These mounds can be up to 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide.
- Their nests are often made in open spaces, such as a grassy areas, and fields
- Their nests can affect the quality of grass or plants in the area below and around it
- They rarely infest the inside parts of buildings
- They also make nests on walls, foundations, cracks in the sidewalk and the base of trees
- Field ants can spray formic acid into the wound after biting, so their bite can be painful at times
- They feed on honeydew from aphids and also look for sweet foods. Some species of field ants eat insects and are also partial to meat (they act as scavengers)
- During late summer, swarmer ants fly out of the field ant mounts to establish more colonies
- Some species of field ants collect aphids to have an abundant source of honeydew
- Signs of field ant infestation include the sighting of field ants around the house, bodies of dead aphids and insects and sighting of field ant mounds
