Little Black Ant vs Longhorn Crazy Ant
Little Black Ants and longhorn crazy ants are easy to mix up at a glance, but a few details separate them quickly. Here is how to tell which one you found and what, if anything, you should do about it.
Quick answer
Check for this first. A little black ant has very small, glossy jet-black body, while a longhorn crazy ant has long legs and antennae relative to its body.
Side-by-side comparison
| Little Black Ant | Longhorn Crazy Ant | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Ants | Ants |
| Scientific name | Monomorium minimum | Paratrechina longicornis |
| Size | 1.5–2 mm | 2.3–3 mm |
| Colors | Black | Black and Gray |
| Legs | 6 legs | 6 legs |
| Wings | No | No |
| Bites or stings | No | No |
| Risk | Nuisance | Nuisance |
| Key feature | Very small, glossy jet-black body | Long legs and antennae relative to its body |
Key differences
- Color: Little Black Ants are black; longhorn crazy ants are black and gray.
- Signature feature: Little Black Ants: very small, glossy jet-black body. Longhorn Crazy Ants: long legs and antennae relative to its body.
How to identify little black ants
A tiny, jet-black, shiny ant that nests in lawns, under rocks and in wall voids. Workers form narrow trails to sweets, grease and meats.
- Very small, glossy jet-black body
- Two nodes in the waist
- Slow-moving, narrow single-file trails
How to identify longhorn crazy ants
A dark, slender ant with extremely long legs and antennae that runs in fast, jerky, seemingly random paths. It nests in soil, trash and wall voids, mostly in warm southern states.
- Long legs and antennae relative to its body
- Erratic, zigzag running instead of straight trails
- Grayish sheen from fine body hairs
Which one is more dangerous?
Neither is more dangerous than the other; both are rated nuisance on our scale.
Little black ants have a sting too weak to feel; they are a nuisance only. Crazy ants rarely bite and don't sting; their sheer numbers make them a nuisance.
Where and when you'll see each
Little Black Ants turn up in the kitchen and in lawns and grass, mostly in spring and summer. Longhorn Crazy Ants turn up in the kitchen and in lawns and grass, mostly in spring, summer and fall.
Because they share habitat, you may find both in the same place, so check each individual.
What to do if you find one
Little Black Ants: Locate outdoor nests near the foundation and treat them with bait. Read the full removal guide for more.
Longhorn Crazy Ants: Use sweet and protein baits in rotation. Read the full removal guide for more.
Biology: ants
Ants live in colonies ruled by one or more egg-laying queens. The workers you see are sterile females foraging for the rest of the colony, so killing visible ants rarely solves anything. Winged ants, called swarmers, appear when a mature colony sends out new kings and queens.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between little black ants and longhorn crazy ants?
Color: Little Black Ants are black; longhorn crazy ants are black and gray.
Which is bigger, a little black ant or a longhorn crazy ant?
Little Black Ant: 1.5–2 mm. Longhorn Crazy Ant: 2.3–3 mm.
Do little black ants or longhorn crazy ants bite?
Little Black Ants do not bite. Longhorn Crazy Ants do not bite.
Where are they usually found?
Little Black Ants: in the kitchen and in lawns and grass. Longhorn Crazy Ants: in the kitchen and in lawns and grass.