Pest Library Ants ManhattAnt

ManhattAnt

Lasius emarginatus

An invasive European species that has rapidly established itself as the second most common ant in Manhattan since 2011.

ManhattAnt

About this species

ManhattAnts look exactly like standard pavement ants, but they behave very differently. They’re mainly a problem in high-rises. Instead of staying near ground-level entry points, they migrate vertically. They use utility shafts, pipe chases, and electrical conduits to move between floors. An infestation on the 5th floor easily spreads to the 15th floor. Once inside, they thrive in the climate-controlled temperatures of modern apartment buildings. Because they move up through the building’s infrastructure, treating a single unit usually fails. You have to address the entire vertical line.

A single ManhattAnt

Identification

Relative size of pest

Size:

1/8–1/4 inch (3–6 mm) long

Color:

Bicolored: black head, reddish-orange thorax, velvety black abdomen

Image byAntWeb.org image of Order:Hymenoptera Family:Formicidae Genus:Lasius Species:Lasius emarginatus Specimen:casent0172762 View:profile
Image by April Nobile / © AntWeb.org

Key ID Features:

  • Single node
  • Distinctive bicoloration

Photos

Let us solve your pest problem

×
Expanded View