Ghost ant facts for kids
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The ghost ant (scientific name: Tapinoma melanocephalum) is a tiny species of ant. It gets its common name because its pale legs and lower body make it look almost invisible, like a ghost! These ants have a dark head but a very light, almost see-through, lower body and legs. This unique coloring makes them seem even smaller than they already are.
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What Do Ghost Ants Look Like?
Ghost ants are very small. Worker ants are usually about 1.3 to 2.0 millimeters (which is less than an inch) long. Their antennae have 12 parts and get a bit thicker towards the end.
Their head and middle body (called the thorax) are dark brown. But their lower body (called the gaster), legs, and antennae are a milky white color. Because they are so tiny and light-colored, ghost ants can be hard to spot.
Different Ant Types in a Colony
In a ghost ant colony, all the worker ants look the same size. Their middle body does not have any spines. The lower body is smooth and has a slit-like opening at the back. These ants do not have a stinger.
Young ghost ants go through three stages of growth as larvae. These larvae are naked and shaped like a spindle, with small mouthparts.
The queen ant looks a lot like a worker ant, but her middle body is much bigger. She is the largest ant in the colony, measuring about 2.5 millimeters long. Male ghost ants have a dark head and back, but their lower body is light and might have some dark spots. They are usually about 2.0 millimeters long.
Where Do Ghost Ants Live?
It's hard to know exactly where ghost ants first came from because they are found all over the world. Scientists think they might have started in Africa or Asia because they are a tropical species. This means they love warm weather!
Ghost ants cannot live in cold places. So, in cooler areas, you'll usually only find them inside buildings or greenhouses where it's warm enough for them to survive. For example, a colony of ghost ants was even found in an apartment building in Canada! They have also been found in isolated places like the Galápagos Islands. Ghost ants have been reported in 154 different parts of the world.
Ghost Ants in the United States
Ghost ants are a common pest in the United States, especially in warm states like Hawaii and Florida. They are now spreading further north, reaching Texas by the mid-1990s. They are a big problem in southern Florida, along with other invasive ant species.
The first time ghost ants were officially recorded in the United States was in Hawaii in 1887. Then, they were found in Washington, D.C. in 1894. After that, ghost ants were found in many other states, including Maine, New York, Connecticut, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington. You can also find them in Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands.
See also
In Spanish: Boticaria para niños
