Acrobat ants

Description:

Acrobat ants get their common name from their habit of raising their abdomen over their head and thorax. The workers are known to bite aggressively and to give off a repulsive odor when alarmed. In nature, colonies may nest in exposed soil, under stones, stumps and old trees. They occasionally become pests by invading homes where they are known to nest in woodwork and foam insulation, and infest household foods. They feed on live and dead insects, and they tend aphids for their sugary excrement known as "honeydew." In homes, they show a slight preference for sweets and meats or other high protein foods. They are about 1/8 inch in length.