Size
1/10”-1/4”
Color
Brown, red, and black
Description
The Velvety Tree Ant has a brown head, red midsection, and a velvety black rear. The colony will have one queen and thousands of workers. The Velvety Tree ant often lives in trees, nesting under tree bark, and can be seen climbing up and down the tree between the nest and the food sources they’ve located. They may also dig under rocks, usually near a river or other water source. Indoors they often nest in walls near plumbing pipes.
The Velvety Tree ants mostly feed on sweets, like the honeydew produced by aphids, and will also eat insects for protein. Hummingbird feeders are a favorite and easily accessible when hung in trees that Velvety Tree ants live in.
Velvety Tree ants have strong jaws and will bite when disturbed. They will attack in a group and deliver multiple bites when threatened.
Control Advice
Seal outside cracks to home and keep tree limbs trimmed back from the house.
Active Seasons
Velvety Tree ants are most active in spring, summer and fall.