Bug FAQSouthern Ant
Chelaner antarcticus · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae
Workers are small ants, usually 3 to 5 mm long, with heads 0.6 to 0.88 mm wide. Their bodies can be orange, brown or black, and their antennae have 12 segments ending in a three-segment club. They are native to New Zealand, found throughout the country and on nearby islands, and they nest under stones or logs in many habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
Body colour varies from orange to dark brown or black, but is usually consistent within a colony. Antennae have twelve segments, the last three forming a club.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Workers measure about 3 to 5 mm in length, with head widths of 0.60 to 0.88 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
They are found in many habitats including household gardens and urban areas, though competition with invasive ants may limit them in some northern cities.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
A stinger is present at the tip of the abdomen. Workers stroke mealybugs with their antennae to collect secretions.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Their venom is less effective against the Argentine ant, so they act more aggressively. Neonicotinoid pesticides change how they interact with Argentine ants.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Nests are built under stones or logs.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They eat small arthropods, seeds and farm mealybugs for their secretions.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Winged males and females may appear in large swarms that produce a humming sound.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Swarming usually happens on warm, sunny days.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is endemic to New Zealand and is widespread there, also recorded on the Kermadec and Austral Islands.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
Morphological variability suggests the species may actually comprise several distinct species. Venom chemistry also varies among populations, supporting the idea of undescribed species.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
How big are Southern Ant workers?
Workers are typically 3 to 5 mm long with heads 0.60 to 0.88 mm wide.
Source: Wikipedia
What do Southern Ants look like?
Their bodies can be orange, light to dark brown, or black, and their antennae have twelve segments ending in a three-segment club.
Source: Wikipedia
Where do Southern Ants build their nests?
They nest under stones or logs in a variety of habitats such as forests, grasslands and gardens.
Source: Wikipedia
What do Southern Ants eat?
They feed on small arthropods, seeds and farm mealybugs for their secretions.
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/Chelaner_antarcticus
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.