The black garden ant (Lasius niger) is a formicine ant, the type species of the subgenus Lasius, found all over Europe and in some parts of North America and Asia. It is monogynous, meaning colonies have a single queen.
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Caste | Monogyn |
| Queen phenotype | 7–9 mm long, colour black |
| Worker phenotype | 3–5 mm long, colour dark brown almost black |
| Soldier phenotype | N/A |
| Nest building | Nests underground, commonly under stones, but also in rotten wood |
| Nutrition | Nectar, small insects, seeds, will farm aphids |
Lasius niger colonies can reach in size up to around 15,000 workers but 4,000–7,000 is around average. A Lasius niger queen can live for around 12 years.
Lasius niger is host to a number of temporary social parasites of the Lasius mixtus group including Lasius mixtus and Lasius umbratus.
Famous quotes containing the words black, garden and/or ant:
“I am Black because I come from the earth’s inside
now take my word for jewel in the open light.”
—Audre Lorde (b. 1934)
“When the deep purple falls over sleepy garden walls, and the stars begin to flicker in the sky,”
—Mitchell Parish (1901–1993)
“As a thinker and planner, the ant is the equal of any savage race of men; as a self-educated specialist in several arts, she is the superior of any savage race of men; and in one or two high mental qualities she is above the reach of any man, savage or civilized.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)