Ghost ant

  • Latin name: Tapinoma Melanocephalum
  • Color: golden with a lighly coloured abdomen
  • Number of queens: Many
  • Size: 1,3-2 mm
  • Habitat: Inside
  • Colony size: 100-1000 ants
  • Diet: Insects, sugary food, grease, aphid produce.
  • Worker lifespan: unknown (very short)

Ghost ants were not common in Iceland but have been on the increase over the last twenty years. They are easily identifiable by their lightly coloured abdomen. The ant is thought to have originated in Asia or Africa but is now distributed accross the entire globe. Ghost ants are harmless to humans but can be a nuisance due to their small size allowing them to get into food wrapping.