Big Headed Ants
These ants get their common name from the exceptionally large head.
- Common Name: Bigheaded Ants
- Scentific Name: Pheidole spp.
- Class/Order/Family: Insecta/Hymenoptera/Formicidea
- Metamorphosis: Complete
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Size
Workers dimorphic, 1/16-1/4" long with minors usually about half as as majors. Queens longer than majors.
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Color
Yellowish to light brown to yellowish red to dark reddish brown. Some species with areas of dark red and/or black.
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Biology
The majority of species form small colonies. The large mandibles are used to crack the husks of seeds and/or hard exoskeletons of insect prey.
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Habit
Only occasionally invade structures and usual nest in the soil.
Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties