Ants with Stripes – 15+ Black and Yellow Striped Ant

A group of ants has various color stripes on their body. Here, I will enlist the group of ants with stripes and their little description.

Ants with stripes: typically, you will see various color stripes on carpenters, pharaohs, acrobats, argentine, and crazy ants. Some other ants also have a stripe on different segments of their body.

The color of the stripe on the thorax, bottom, and abdomen varies in various ants. You may find a white stripe on the black ant, whereas some other ants possess a yellow stripe.

So, various color stripes may be good identifying points for any ant. After completing this article, you will easily identify any ant with its specific stripe.

If you want to know (learn) the details of the group of ants that possess stripes, let’s continue this article till the end.

Ants with stripes – 15 + ants example

As very few ants have stripes on their body, I will try to inform all of them in this article. But first, let’s see the most popular ants around you that possess colored stripes on their body.

So, the most common ants with stripes are –

• Black and red carpenter ants,
• Pharaoh ants,
• Thief ants,
• Little black ants,
• Whited-footed ants,
• Acrobat ants,
• Argentine ants,
• Crazy ants,
• Pavement ants,
• Big-headed ants,
• Field ants,
• Large yellow ants,
• Small honey ants,
• Odorous house ants,
• Queen of winter ants,
• Asian needle ants,
• Forelius ants, and
• Red imported fire ants,

As mentioned above, the ants have visible stripes on different parts of their body. But, the color of the stripes from various ants is different.

Table 1 will provide information on the stripe of different ants with their color and location –

Ants	Stripes color	Location
Black carpenter ants	Golden / yellow	Thorax, abdomen
Red velvety	Black / white	Abdomen
Pharaoh ants	Black	Bottom
Thief ants	White	Bottom
Little black ants	White	Bottom
White-footed ant	White	Abdomen, thorax
Acrobat ants	White	Abdomen
Argentine ants	White / black	Abdomen
Crazy ants	White	Abdomen
Pavement ant	Black	Bottom
Big-headed ants	White / golden	Abdomen
Field ant	Black	Abdomen
Large yellow ants	White	Abdomen
Small honey ants	Black	Bottom
Odorous house ant	White	Abdomen
Winter ants	Yellow / white	Abdomen
Asian needle ant	White	Abdomen
Forelius ants	White	Abdomen
Red imported fire ant	White	Bottom

You may know more about these striped ants (their external features and habits) from other specific articles on insect pets.

Striped carpenter ants

2 types of carpenter ants have a stripe on their body –

• Black carpenter ants, and
• Red carpenter ants,

In the black carpenter ant, you will find golden or yellow stripes on their different body parts. Typically, you will see the black carpenter ant’s golden (yellow) stripes on the abdomen.

Sometimes you may also find the golden or yellow stripes on the thorax of the black carpenter ant. Again, some black carpenter ants show white stripes on their abdomen and thorax.

On the other hand, the red carpenter ant also shows stripes on their thorax and abdomen. The color of these stripes on red carpenter ants varies from white to golden color.

Now, let’s see the black and red carpenter ants with their stripe on different body segments. But how will you differentiate the black carpenter ants from the red carpenters?

You will find some common features in black and red carpenter ants except for their size and color. First, let’s see the common identifying features of the carpenter ants from other ant species –

• Both black and red carpenters have many sizes of workers,
• The antennae connect high on their heads,
• You will see the evenly rounded thorax in both black and red carpenter ants,
• Both the black and red carpenter ants possess only one node or petiole, and
• A circle of golden hairs may find at the tip of their abdomen,

Now, let’s see the major difference between the black and red carpenter ants from table 2 –

Features	Black carpenter ant	Red carpenter ant
Size	6 – 12 millimeters	4 – 6 millimeters
Color	Black	Mixed red and black
Hairs	Golden or yellow	Golden or white
Hairs of tip of gaster	Less	More

Ants with white stripes

There are different ants with white stripes that locate on their thorax, abdomen, and bottom. First, let’s enlist these ants with white stripes –

• White-footed ants,
• Red velvety ants,
• Thief ants,
• Acrobat ants,
• Little black ants,
• Crazy ants,
• Little yellow ants,
• Odorous house ants,
• Crazy ants,
• Big-headed ants,
• Asian needle ants,
• Argentine ants, and
• Forelius ants,

But, you will find the more remarkable white stripe on the abdomen of white-footed ants, red velvety ants, odorous house ants, Asian needle ants, and also in forelius ants.

Now, let’s know a little about these ants that have a white stripe on their body (especially on the abdomen or bottom). But you may know about other white-striped ants from other articles on insect pets.

White-footed ants and their stripes

The white-footed ants are more commonly found in your house or buildings. First, they were identified in Indonesia and distributed worldwide, especially in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and West Indies.

These white-footed ants are not harmful or bite humans but are considered the major pest in the house. So, what do white-footed ants look like?

Well, the white-footed ants look like argentine ants and have the following features –

• White-footed ants are 2.5 – 3.5 millimeters long,
• Color varies from black to brownish–black,
• The tarsus (foot) show yellowish – white,
• Presence of only 1 node in white-footed ants,
• You will find 12 segments on the antennae of white-footed ants,
• There is no sting at the bottom of the abdomen,

You may find more information on white-footed ants on UF. External features of these white-footed ants are collected from this (source).

Red velvety ant and stripes

The velvety ants are very colorful and possess stripes on their head, thorax, and also on the abdomen. You will see the red velvety ant with white and black stripes on their body.

Mostly white stripes are more common on the abdomen of a red velvety ant. Sometimes, the red velvety ant also shows a black stripe with a few white stripes on the bottom of their abdomen.

A typical red velvety ant shows the below–mentioned external features –

• Shows red color in the head, thorax, and abdomen (sometimes show few other colors like black or golden),
• The legs of the red velvety ants are usually black,
• At the junction of the head and thorax of a red velvety ant, you will see the black encircle,
• The bottom of the abdomen shows 3 – 4 white-colored stripes,

You will find different scientific research papers where that provide good information on velvety ants. This scientific research paper (the paradox of the velvet ant) will provide a good piece of knowledge on the velvety ant’s external features and their stings.

Forelius ants and their stripes

Forelius is a small ant-like the odorous house ant. They are about 1.8 – 2.5 millimeters long.

The forelius ants are considered the masters of the climate. This is because they can live happily in your kitchen cabinet and also in the middle of the desert.

But, these forelius ants prefer to make their nest in grassy or open ground and also under the rock. Let’s identify the forelius ants with the help of the below-mentioned identifying points –

• The forelius ants have brownish-red color on their body,
• You will see white hairs on the forelius ant’s head, and the lateral margin of its body,
• They have only 1 node (petiole) and a larger gaster,
• The abdomen of the forelius ants have a white colored stripe,

Black ants with white stripes

Some ants only possess white stripes. First, let’s enlist these black ants with white stripes –

• Acrobat ants,
• Carpenter ants,
• Asian needle ants, and
• Little black ants,

Let’s learn a little about an acrobat and Asian needle ants with their stripe.

Acrobat ants with white stripe

The acrobat ants are also the smallest in size and possess exceptional external features. You will also find the white stripe on the abdomen of the acrobat ants.

But, first, let’s know some of the unique external features of the acrobat ants –

• The acrobat ants possess one pair of spines on their thorax (back),
• They are 2 nodded ants, and their pedicel attaches to the top of their gaster,
• The abdomen or gaster of an acrobat ant is heart-shaped (if you view it from above),
• You will see the whitish hairs on the body of an acrobat ant,
• The abdomen of the acrobat ant shows a white stripe,

You will see the color variation on an acrobat ant. The color of their abdomen (blackish-red) is somewhat different compared to their head and thorax.

Asian needle ant with white stripe

The Asian needle ant is small but stronger species in the world. You will find approximately 5 – 6 millimeters in length in Asian needle ants.

You will also see the distinct stripes on the abdomen of the Asian needle ants. This needle ant shows the following external features –

• This ant shows a dark brown to black body color,
• The legs of the Asian needle ant show a lighter to organ-brown color,
• They love to make their nest in rotten logs, under leaves and rocks,
• They have developed jaws that help them to bite,
• The mesopleural region of the needle ant shows a shiny appearance,
• They have only one node in between the thorax and gaster,

You will find larger eyes in an Asian needle ant compared to regular ants. Again, the needle ants’ stings are larger than the other ant species.

Ants with a striped bottom

You have already understood that ants possess stripes on their body segments. A few ants show the stripe on their bottom (end part of the abdomen or gaster).

Let’s see the ants that possess stripes on their bottom –

• Little black ants,
• Small honey ants,
• Thief ants, and
• Black imported fire ants,

I will discuss little black ants in the next section of this article, as they are grouped under black ants with a striped bottom. So, let’s see the external features of the small honey, thief, and red imported honey ants.

All these ants mentioned above have a striped bottom.

The small honey ant shows the below–mentioned external features –

• The first segment of the antennae of the small honey ant is longer than the head,
• You will see an uneven thorax in the small honey ant (when viewed from the side),
• The thorax of the honey ant shows a pinched structure,
• This ant possesses only 1 node and the pedicle is heart-shaped structure,
• The abdomen or gaster of the small honey ant is triangular and shiny,
• There are circles of hairs on the end part of the honey ant’s abdomen,

You will see numerous black colored stripes on the bottom of the small honey ant. Now, let’s see the external features of thief ant that also possess the stripe on their bottom –

• The antennae of the thief ant have 10 segments and the end part possesses 2 segmented clubs,
• You will not find any spine on their thorax,
• They are 2 nodded ants and possess strong strings the end part of the abdomen,
• The actual color of the thief ant varies from reddish tan to dark brown.

Black ant with a striped bottom

You already found a few ants that have a stripe on their bottom. But are there any black ants that possess stripes on their bottom?

Yes, you will find black ants with stripes at their bottom. Let’s see the black ant with striped bottom –

• Little black ants,

So, this little black ant will show the stripe on their bottom. Again, pharaoh ants (not black ants) possess black stripes on their bottom. Let’s know a little about these 2 black ants with a striped bottom.

Pharaoh ants with stripe

The pharaoh ants are tiny yellow to orange-colored ants that possess black stripes. They are confused with the thief ant as the body structure and color are almost similar.

You may find the following external features in pharaoh ants which help you to differentiate from thief ants –

• They have 12 segments on their antennae (whereas thief ants possess 10 segments),
• The last part of the antennae possesses 3 segmented clubs (whereas thief ants have 2 segmented antennal clubs),
• The pharaoh ant possesses 2 nodes and black stripes on their bottom,

Little black ant with stripes

They are also the smallest household ants that a length is about 1.5 – 3.0 millimeters. This little black ant will also show the stripe on their bottom.

The external appearance of the little black ant is similar to the pharaoh ant except for the color. This little black ant shows the black color.

The little black ant is a common and cutest ant that can make its nest outdoors, forest, and even in your yard. They also love to make their nest under the rocks and tree bark.

The identifying features (except color) are similar to the pharaoh ant I provided earlier.

Ants with yellow stripes on the back and abdomen

A few ants show a yellow stripe on their back and abdomen. Let’s see the ants with yellow stripes on the back and abdomen –

• Carpenter ants (black and red),
• Odorous house ants,
• Big-headed ants, and
• Winter ants,

Let’s see some identifying features of odorous house ants, big-headed ants, and winter ants.

Odorous house ant with stripes

The odorous house ants are dark brown to shiny black ants with a strong odor. They are the smallest household ants which measure 1.5 – 2 millimeters in length.

These odorous house ants possess yellow or golden (sometimes white) stripes on their back or abdomen. You will find some unique external features in odorous house ants –

• The odorous house ant has an uneven thorax,
• They have only 1 node that is hidden by their abdomen,
• The abdomen or gaster of an odorous house ant is blunt,

You will not find any hairs on the tip of the abdomen of an odorous house ant. The abdomen is comparatively larger than any other smaller ant.

Big-headed ant and stripes

The big-headed ants are also small workers, which measure 1.5 – 3 millimeters. Two colored big-headed ants are available in the United States – yellowish and light to dark brown.

Both these worker ant possess a larger head in proportion to their bodies. Furthermore, you will find the following unique external features in big-headed ants –

• You will see a short first segment in the antenna of a big-headed ant,
• There is one pair of spines on the caudal end of the thorax of the big-headed ant,
• This ant possesses only 1 node and has a small abdomen,

The winter ants (both worker and queen) also show yellow or golden stripes on their back or abdomen. These winter ants love to make their nest deep in the soil near the tree base. Sometimes they also make their nest in open ground and also in a tree.

Red ant with a stripe bottom

Red velvety is the only ant that shows a stripe on its bottom. I have already described the external features of red velvety ants in this article.

Now, let’s see the external features of the velvety tree ants. This velvety tree ant is about 3 – 6 millimeters long and has a different color on their body.

You will see the following colors in a velvety tree ant –

• Head of velvety – brownish – black,
• Thorax of tree velvety – red color, and
• The abdomen of the tree velvety – velvety black,

The abdomen of this tree velvety ant shows white (mostly) or black stripes.

Frequently asked questions on ants with stripes

Now, I will enlist the frequently asked question on ants with stripes by the ant learners. But, it is suggested to read the whole article as you will get the basic concept of the stripe of different types of ants in the world.

Okay, let’s see the commonly asked questions and concise answers on ants with stripes –

What kind of ant has a stripe?

There are a few ants that have stripes on their body. Mostly little black, pharaoh, winter, carpenter, velvety, white-footed, and crazy ants show different colored stripes on their body.

These ants show their stripe typically on their abdomen. But you may also see the stripe on the thorax and at the bottom in some ants.

Do carpenter ants have stripes?

Yes, 2 types of carpenter ants have stripes on their thorax and abdomen. The black carpenter ants show golden or yellow stripes on their thorax and abdomen.

The red carpenter ants will show white or golden stripes on their back or abdomen. You will find a basic idea of the stripes of different ants in table 1.

What is the difference between sugar ants and carpenter ants?

You will find some differences between brown sugar ants and carpenter ants. The difference between brown sugar and carpenter ants is typically noticed in their color and habit.

Let’s see the basic difference between brown sugar ants and carpenter ants in table 3 –

Features	Brown sugar ant	Black carpenter ant
Size	6 – 12 millimeters	7 – 15 millimeters
Thorax	Uneven	Evenly rounded
Head color	Black	Reddish brown
Thorax color	Reddish brown	Reddish brown
Abdomen color	Black	Black

Conclusion

I hope you got the basic idea of the ants with stripes in different body segments. Very few ants possess stripes on their body, so that you might know them as ant lovers.

Red velvety, black carpenter, little black, white-footed, acrobat, and odorous house ants are typical examples with stripes on their body.