Small Honey Ant

Need to get rid of ants? Read on to learn the answers to all of your important questions. Need help? Call our professionals today to get started.

What Are Small Honey Ants?

Sometimes referred to as the “winter ant” or the “false honey ant,” small honey ants, as their name implies, are small ants that feed on sweet substances. These small ants will gorge themselves on honeydew and other sweet juices until their abdomen becomes distended. They store food for their colony in the event of a food shortage. 

Small honey ants are considered a nuisance pest and do not pose any danger to humans or pets as they do not bite or sting, are not aggressive, and do not cause any damage to structures or homes, though they will contaminate your food.

What Do Small Honey Ants Look Like?

Small honey ants are about 1/8th of an inch long. They are light brown to dark brown in color. They have a triangular-shaped abdomen which is darker in color than the rest of their body and is characterized by a circular pattern of hairs on its tip. Small honey ants have 12-segmented antennae whose first segment is longer than the top of their head. 

What Do Small Honey Ants Eat?

Small honey ants feed on sweet liquids in plants like sap or juice. They will damage entire plants by chewing into flower buds and fruits to obtain these sweet liquids. In your home, they will contaminate and eat many common household foods like sugar, syrup, honey, bread, fruits and meats. 

What Are The Habits of Small Honey Ants?

The small honey ant lives everywhere from Canada to Nebraska, all the way south to Texas and Florida. It can be found in New Mexico, California, Oregon and Washington. 

Small honey ants build nests in the soil of open, well-shaded areas. You might find small honey ant nests in flower beds and underneath logs and large stones. Once they’ve excavated the soil for their nests, they deposit the soil in crescent-shaped mounds on top of the ground. A favorite spot near or in your home for small honey ants to build their nests is in the soil of potted plants where entire colonies have been found. 

Don’t Be Afraid To Reach Out For Help

If you are concerned about small honey ants in your home, please give us a call or fill out the form on this page. PestControlExperts.com is a team of experts who are highly qualified to provide the best recommendations for you and your home, no matter which part of the United States you live in.