Pyramid Ant

Description:

Pyramid ants are pale orange to dark brown in color. They are slender and twig-like.

Habitat:

This mound was in a patch of bare sandy soil between a grassy lawn and the wetlands along the river.

Notes:

Although all ants are social, pyramid ants will not be seen in large numbers, but rather singly, foraging in search of food. They can be seen entering and departing from a hole in the top of their nest that looks like a small sand crater. They nest in soil that is preferably sandy. The nest has a single entrance surrounded by a crater-shaped mound of soil and a there is a single queen per nest. They feed on a variety of foods including other insects, but have a preference for sweets. Pyramid ants usually nest in bright, sunny, open-spaces in lawns. Oftentimes, pyramid ant nests will be in close proximity to fire ant nests because pyramid ants are predators of the winged male and female fire ants.