Stats

Lifespan

1-28 yrs

Size

Tiny

Diet

Omnivore

Activity

Cathemeral

Social

Colony

Biome

Temperate grassland

Range

Europe and Asia

Movement

Walking

Breeding

Egg-laying

Defense

Venom

Status

Uncommon

About

This common black ant builds extensive tunnel networks beneath open garden soil. A single queen can live for nearly thirty years while managing a colony of thousands.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   egg

   A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3. 3.
   subadult

   A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4. 4.
   adult

   Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Lasius

Species

Lasius niger