Appearance:
White-footed ants are black to brownish-black with yellowish-white feet, hence their name. They have no sting.
Size:
1/8-inch long.
Behavior:
White-footed ants do not bite or sting, nor have they been reported to cause any type of structural damage. They are, however, attracted to sweet foods. It is common to find them foraging indoors for food and moisture, and outside on hedges infested with honeydew producing insects. White-footed ants are similar to
Argentine ants in that they have been known to tend or “farm” aphids and scales to obtain the honeydew they excrete. They will also feed on dead insects and other proteins.
They tend to inhabit huge colonies, sometimes containing up to a million individuals. Workers and reproductives may also split up and branch off to start new satellite colonies in a process called “budding”. Mass movements of white-footed ants carrying their larvae and pupae may be observed during budding, which can appear as a heavy black line due to their small size and heavy trails.
Habitat:
White-footed ants frequently nest outside in trees and bushes, under palm fronds and tree bark, in loose mulch, under debris and in leaf litter. Although they tend to prefer nesting outside, they can be found in wall spaces and attics and under roof shingles.
