Appearance:
Thief ants are yellow to bronze to dark brown in color. They also have smazll eyes and a stinger at the rear of the abdomen.

Size:
Varies from 1/32 to 1/8 inch long.

Behavior:
Thief ants travel in set trails indoors and out. Nests are large and often have tiny tunnels connecting to the nearby nests of larger ants from which they habitually steal. Once indoors, they forage for foods with a high protein content, such as grease, cheese and meats, and will hollow out seeds for the oil content. Unlike most ant species, thief ants are more attracted to these food types, occasionally feeding on sweets.

Thief ants also feed on ant larvae and scavenge on dead insects and rodents. They travel great distances in search of food, and once a source is located they form a trail from the food to the nest moving in steady columns. However, they are renown for stealing from other nearby ant colonies.

Habitat:
Outdoors, thief ants nest in multiple locales: under stones or logs, around walkways and house foundations, and in rotting wood and exposed soil. They also often nest near larger ants, from which they steal food and young larvae. They often form small, multiple queen colonies that can be difficult to find.

Once inside, they occasionally build nests in walls or in the foundations. Indoor nests arefound in any small crevices, particularly