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Black House Ant

Ochetellus glaber

A small, shiny black native ant that forms long trails into kitchens and bathrooms searching for sweet food and water.

Written by PestMan Editorial TeamTechnical review pendingPublished Updated
Size
2.5–3 mm
Colour
Shiny black
Prefers
Sugars and water
Native
Yes

Questions about the Black House Ant

How to identify a Black House Ant

Identification

  • About 2.5–3 mm, glossy black.
  • Moves in defined trails.
  • Single node (bump) on the waist.

Where it lives

  • Wall cavities, window frames, under bark, in pot plants and garden beds.

Behaviour

  • Attracted strongly to sugar, honeydew and moisture.
  • Often nests inside wall voids near heat and water.

Why it matters

One of the most common ants trailing across kitchen benches and around sinks.

Commonly confused with

Coastal Brown Ant

Pheidole megacephala

An introduced, light-brown ant that forms huge multi-queen colonies and leaves piles of loose soil between pavers and along slab edges. One of the most common nuisance ants in Queensland.

Other ant species

Red Imported Fire Ant

Solenopsis invicta

An invasive South American ant first found in Brisbane in 2001 and now the target of a national eradication program. It builds loose soil mounds in open areas, swarms when disturbed and stings repeatedly. Suspected fire ants must be reported, not treated.

Guide

How to Pest-Proof Your Home

A practical, room-by-room approach to reducing pests without relying on chemicals: remove what attracts them, close the ways in, and make your property less comfortable for them.

Guide

Common Brisbane Household Pests

A Brisbane-specific overview of the pests residents meet most often, when they are active, and what the subtropical climate, storms, creeks and Queenslander homes mean for pest pressure.

Guide

Fire Ants in South East Queensland

How to recognise red imported fire ants, what to do if you find them or are stung, how the National Fire Ant Eradication Program works, and what the biosecurity rules mean for households in South East Queensland.

More about ants

Ants

Social insects that live in colonies and follow scent trails to food and water. Most ant problems in homes are nuisance foraging trails from colonies outside the house.

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Sources & further reading

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