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Meet the Field Ant
Formica ants, usually called “field ants,” are among the United
States’ largest and most common ants. Found spanning the
states in all directions, three species are most common in the
United States: Formica pallidefulva and Formica incerta, both
rusty-to-deep-red beauties, and Formica subsericea, black
lovelies with stripes of sparse golden hairs across their rumps.
You’ll most likely encounter Formica subsericea in New York City.
Most field ants pass their days contentedly building their shallow,
low-mound nests near rocks and trees, blissfully unaware of a
dark underworld in their midst, a world of violence, slavery,
mistaken identity, and poop shields.
About the size of one and a half pencil erasers, field ants’ long,
dexterous legs extend from their thoraxes, and their large black
eyes rest right behind their always-moving elbowed antennae.
You can reliably tell a field ant if it’s a large ant, yellowish, reddish,
black or red with a brown or black rump. Many people confuse
field ants with carpenter ants, neither of which can hurt you. If
you’d like to tell if you have a field ant, gently nab the ant in
question and check out its thorax, the middle section of the ant
Urban Life
Where it lives: Field ants generally build their
nests against trees, under rocks, or in logs.
What it eats: More buffet-style than picky
eaters, field ants love sugar like aphid
honeydew, soft-bodied insects like caterpillars,
and seed husks.
NYC notes: These big, lovely ants can be
found everywhere in the city but are nowhere
common. If you spot them, know it was a
special moment. Take a picture. Send us a
note. Or just enjoy.
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