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We live with different ant species in South Africa – although we might think that we have two main types of ants in this country, we actually have 550 species that are known to us, and only a handful are viewed as being “pests”. 

Some of the ant species that are commonly known to us include the Coastal Brown Ant, the Argentine Ant, the Black House Ant (perhaps the most problematic of them all), the Pavement Ant, The Garden Ant and The Fire Ant (we know how it hurts when one of these little fellers bite us). 

South Africa enjoys a diverse and rich wildlife animal species; we have abundant creatures both large and small, and we have as many ant species as we have wildlife. 

 Here are a couple of examples of the prolific ant species we have living amongst us: 

About the Argentine Ant 

• They are dark brown in colour 
• The worker ants of this species are almost 1.6 mm in length 
• The queens and kings have wings which means that they can fly to find a mate 
• The worker ants travel for extensive distances  

• Their diet consists of dead or alive insects as well as sweet things, meat, cereals and grains 

About the Coastal Brown Ant 

• The Coastal Brown Ant is either yellow or brown in colour 
• Coastal Brown Ants range in size from 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm in length 
• They form small eggs and larvae which are fed by the adult ants 

• The wingless ants are the workers and are sterile 
• The males have wings which assist in finding mates 
• The females are larger in size and enjoy longevity 
• Nesting takes place in the soil 
• Coastal Brown ants exist on a diet of fruit, sweet food and greasy food as well as meat 

About Fire Ants 

• The Fire Ants have copper heads and upper bodies, with darker abdomens 
• The worker Fire Ants are between three to six mm in length 
• The females can lay up to 125 eggs every spring 
• The larvae are fed via the salivary glands of the queen ants 

• Fire Ants destroy crops and invade both indoor and outdoor areas 
• Fire Ants feed on dead animals as well as other insects and worms 

About Pharaoh Ants 

• The Pharaoh Ant workers are a brownish-yellow in colour with a brown abdomen 
• Pharaoh Ant males are equipped with black wings which assist in the mating process 

• Males are 3 mm in length, and the workers are between 1.5 mm and 2 mm in length; the queens, on the other hand, are 3.5 and 6 mm long  
• These ants enjoy a diet rich in protein such as fat, meat, blood and dead insects 
• Queens can produce as many as 3 500 eggs during their lifetime  
• Colonies are large and consist of between a couple of hundred to 300 000 ants 

The above descriptions include only a handful of ant species found in South Africa. There are, however, numerous other species that can be found in our environment and vary in size and colour. However, all ants enjoy phenomenal teamwork regardless of their species.