Paratrechina longicornis

SPECIES: Paratrechina longicornis ( order Hymenoptera )

COMMON NAME: Longhorn crazy ant

SIZE: workers are approximately 2-3.5 mm

LIFECYCLE: The lifecycle of an ant consists of four stages: egg-larva-pupa-adult. The eggs, small, white or yellowish, are laid in huge numbers by the queen (colonies may also contain millions of ants, all produced by a single queen) and, within 2-6 weeks develop into larvae. After being fed for a period ranging from a few weeks to several months, they become pupae. During the pupal stage, the ant remains idle: it feeds and undergoes the profound transformation into an adult insect.

FEATURES: long legs and antennae relative to the body; dark brown, almost black colouring; single-node pietole. Colonies tend to be small, numbering over 2000 workers with 8-40 queens.. The presence of several colonies that interact with each other can lead to large infestations.

HABITAT: indoors under floors and in wall cavities, usually close to the pipes and hot water heating. Outdoors, the nest is underground at a shallow depth, or under rocks, debris, in the cavities of trees, waste etc.

DIET: these ants feed on other insects or sugars, but also eat waste and waste-derived food products. Outdoors, they prefer honeydew produced by aphids and scale insects, as well as other insects, seeds and fruits.

I want to sterminate it