Bug FAQSmall Brown Bush Ant
Prolasius advena · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae
The small brown bush ant is brown overall, with a slightly darker abdomen and lighter legs; males are a yellow-brown, more slender form with a small head and large eyes. Workers are 2.9 to 3.5 mm long, reproductive females 4.6 to 6 mm, and males are a bit smaller than workers. It lives throughout New Zealand’s forests and nearby open areas, and it feeds on small arthropods, honeydew from scale insects, and adjusts its diet to get missing nutrients.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The ant is brown, with a somewhat darker abdomen and lighter legs; males are yellow-brown, more slender, with a small head and large eyes.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Worker females measure 2.9 to 3.5 mm, reproductive females 4.6 to 6 mm, and males are slightly smaller than workers.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It is a generalist forager that hunts small arthropods, scavenges, and tends mealybugs and scale insects for honeydew, shifting its intake to obtain lacking nutrients.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Queens and males usually stay deeper in the nest but may come to the surface occasionally; workers, though often sterile, have functional ovaries and can lay eggs.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is endemic to New Zealand and is common on the North Island, South Island, Stewart Island, and offshore islands such as the Three Kings Islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is commonly called the “small brown bush ant”.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
What does the small brown bush ant look like?
It is brown with a darker abdomen and lighter legs; males are yellow-brown, more slender, with a small head and large eyes.
Source: Wikipedia
How big are these ants?
Workers are 2.9 to 3.5 mm long, reproductive females 4.6 to 6 mm, and males are slightly smaller than workers.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find small brown bush ants?
They live throughout New Zealand’s forests and nearby open tussock areas, especially near forest edges.
Source: Wikipedia
What do they eat?
They hunt small arthropods, scavenge, and tend honeydew-producing insects, adjusting their diet to get missing nutrients.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Formicidae)
Eastern Black Carpenter AntCamponotus pennsylvanicusCan damage your home
Red Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invictaCan sting
American Winter AntPrenolepis imparis
Argentine AntLinepithema humileNuisance, not dangerous
Immigrant Pavement AntTetramorium immigransCan sting
Odorous House AntTapinoma sessileCan damage your homeSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolasius_advenus
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.