Bug FAQTurfgrass Ant
Lasius neoniger · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae
Also called: Cornfield Ant, Labour Day Ant
Lasius neoniger are small, light-brown ants with a slightly darker head. They live across North America, especially in the eastern United States and Canada. The colonies mate in early September and the new queens hibernate over winter before starting a new nest in spring.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
They are usually light brown with a slightly darker head.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
These ants are relatively small.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
They tend aphids for a steady supply of sugar and occasional protein.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Colonies have a nuptial flight around early September, near Labour Day. New queens dig a claustral chamber and hibernate through winter before founding a new colony in spring.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
The nuptial flight occurs in early September, near Labour Day.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 49 of 51 states and DC. Most records: New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Virginia.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States; native in Canada. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
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/Lasius_neoniger
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.