0 Identify ants: Key with links

1. For a detailed Baynesian Key go here, or 
2. Scroll down through the illustrations below. These have been arranged more or less in order of size, from smallest to largest. Click on the species name for more info about that species, or on the Sub-Family name for more info about the sub-family.
3. All ants are classified into sub-families; within each of these the various genera and species share certain common characteristics. You can find out more about each sub-family by clicking on these links:
Ponerinae (the ‘Primitive’ or Ringbum ants)
Pseudomyrmecinae (the Slender ants)
Dorylinae (the Army or Driver ants)
Dolichoderinae (the Smelly ants)
Myrmicinae (the Double-waisted ants)
Formicinae (the Elegant, Acid-Squirting, Pugnacious or Sugar ants)

KEY: 1. Ants up to about 5 mm long

Tiny 1.5 mm ants, yellowish, slow-moving, under stones and leaf-litter: Monomorium  [Tiny yellow timid ant], Myrmicinae

Tiny 1.5 mm ants, black, quick moving, nest under stones: Lepisiota sp. [Tiny black sugar ant], Formicinae

About 2 mm, black with pale legs, in house [kitchen or bathroom], nocturnal, nest in appliances, foul-smelling when crushed: Technomyrmex albipes [White-footed ant], Dolichoderinae : INVADER

About 2+ mm, pale yellow [almost transparent]; ground dwelling in thick soils; nocturnal; secretive and rarely seen; body shape and movement resembles Lepisiota but never present in large numbers: Acropyga arnoldi [Yellow forest sugar ant], Formicinae

About 2+ mm, pale yellow to reddish [almost transparent] with darker anterior part of gaster; large colonies in the ground, under floors etc. with many 5mm queens;
Monomorium pharaonis [Pharaoh ant]; INVADER; Myrmicinae

About 2.75 mm, shiny black with paler legs, gaster as long as the rest of the body:  Lepisiota sp. [Long-belly black sugar ant], Formicinae

About 2.25 to 2.75 mm, shiny black with paler legs, runs in trails, has become invasive in some areas: Lepisiota capensis [Small black sugarant], Formicinae : INDIGENOUS INVADER

About 2.5 mm, overall brown with slightly darker gaster; double-jointed petiole, resembling Pheidole but without large-headed major workers; small colonies under stones or in leaf litter;
Monomorium australe [Southern timid ant]; Myrmicinae

About 2.5 mm, overall brown, runs in trails with queens often present, a massive invader of homes, gardens, etc.; smells of Parmesan cheese when crushed: Linepithema humile [Argentine ant]; Dolichoderinae : INVADER

About 3 mm, overall brown with paler legs and antennae; prominent 'lump' or protuberance on the anterior end of the thorax. Reputed to be a wood-dwelling ant, our specimen was nesting in clay soil. May be restricted to Grootvadersbosch and hence very rare: Axinidris lignicola [Grandfather's wood ant]; Dolichoderinae :  should be RED DATA LISTED

Minor workers 2+ mm; narrow waist; runs in trails; has huge-headed major workers up to 4mm; brown to dark brown: Pheidole capensis [Brown house ant], Myrmicinae

Minor worker 2.5 mm; narrow waist; runs in trails; has huge-headed major workers up to 5mm; brown to dark brown, may invade houses: Pheidole megacephala [Big-headed house ant], Myrmicinae : INDIGENOUS INVADER

Ants 3+ mm; all black or with dark red heads and thorax; small nests in sand, often with detritus 'cone' around entrance; gardens and veld: Tetramorium quadrispinosum [Black garden ant], Myrmicinae

Ants <4 mm; shiny dark brown with no spines on thorax; slow moving and often seen alone: Monomorium excelsior [Large timid ant], Myrmicinae

Ants <2 mm [minors] to <4 mm; dull ochre-yellow with reddish or brownish tint; majors  sometimes have darker heads; rapidly moving and aggressive with powerful stings; nest in rotting wood or leaf litter in large colonies: Solenopsis puntaticeps [Cape fire ant], Myrmicinae

Ants 4 mm; all black; small nests in sand, often with detritus 'cone' around entrance; ants curl up and feign dead when touched: Tetramorium signatum [Feigning garden ant], Myrmicinae

Ants 4 mm; jet black; run in trails; build carton nests in bushes; cock gasters over their heads and swarm and bite aggressively when disturbed: Crematogaster peringueyi [Black cocktail ant], Myrmicinae

Ants 4 mm; red-brown with brown to black gasters; run in trails; build carton nests in bushes; cock gasters over their heads and swarm and bite aggressively when disturbed: Crematogaster castanea [Red cocktail ant], Myrmicinae

Ants 4 mm; red-brown head and thorax with black gaster; run in trails; build carton nests in bushes; cock gasters over their heads and swarm and bite aggressively when disturbed: Crematogaster melanogaster [Brown cocktail ant], Myrmicinae

Ants between 4 and 5 mm; jet black with elongated, slender bodies; nest in hollow stalks in fynbos: Tetraponera clypeata [Black slender ant], Pseudomyrmecinae

Ants 5 mm; yellow-orange with elongated, slender bodies; nest in hollow stalks in forested environments: Tetraponera emeryi [Yellow slender ant], Pseudomyrmecinae

Ants <3 mm [minors] to 5 mm; red-yellow with reddish or brownish tint; majors  sometimes have darker heads; rapidly moving and aggressive with powerful stings; nest in rotting wood or leaf litter in large colonies: Solenopsis geminata [Tropical fire ant], Myrmicinae : INVADER

Ants in multiple sizes from 3 mm to 5 mm; extremely active and aggressive; attack on touch; red-brown to dark-brown, almost black; large nests in ground; swarm towards you if you thump the ground: Anoplolepis steingroeveri [Small pugnacious ant], Formicinae

KEY: 2. Ants that are 5 mm long or larger

There are several Camponotus species that are not yet illustrated here but are described on the Camponotus pages [see links below]: Camponotus baynei, C. emarginatus, C. rufoglaucus, C. vestitus

All ants same size, >5 mm; shiny jet black with reddish tipped gaster and paler leg joints; very slender, fast-moving and aggressive and equipped with stings: Leptogenys intermedia [Common razor-jaw ant], Ponerinae

Minor workers about 4.5 mm, majors with broader heads about 6–7 mm, jet black all over; small colonies nesting in the ground, in wood or hollow stems; diurnal and common especially in fynbos: Camponotus werthi [Black sugar ant], Formicinae

Minor workers about 5 mm, majors with broader heads about 7 mm, black or dark grey with stiff white bristles on gaster; small colonies nesting in the ground; diurnal and common especially in fynbos: Camponotus niveosetosus [Hairy sugar ant], Formicinae

Minor workers about 5 mm, majors with broader heads about 7+ mm, shiny chocolate brown with paler legs; small colonies nesting in wood, nocturnal and seldom seen: Camponotus bertolonii [Brown sugar ant], Formicinae

Ants about 6 mm, jet black with distinctive, downward-hanging gasters; slow moving; nests may have a mound of detritus around entrance: Myrmicaria nigra [Drop-tail ant] Myrmicinae

Ants about 7 mm, reddish brown to black; long-legged and run around in hot weather at extremely high speeds; have a 'basket' of bristles under their heads which they use to move stones excavated from their nests: Ocymyrmex barbiger [Hotrod ant], Myrmicinae

Long legged yellow ants about 7mm that run around randomly at high speed and in large numbers; may be encountered in or near harbours; fiercely destructive of all small animals they may encounter: Anoplolepis gracilipes [Yellow crazy ant]; Formicinae : INVADER

Ants in multiple sizes from 5 mm to 7+ mm; red-brown to dark-brown with silvery refractive hairs forming a chequered pattern on their gasters; extremely active and aggressive; attack on touch; large nests in ground; swarm towards you if you thump the ground: Anoplolepis custodiens [Large pugnacious ant], Formicinae

Ants in multiple sizes from about 5 mm to 8 mm; shiny jet-black or dark brown; form slow-moving trails carrying vegetable detritus to their nests; trails freeze if you thump the ground near them; a mound of detritus may form around the nest entrance: Messor capensis [Cape harvester ant], Myrmicinae

Ants in multiple sizes from 2 mm to 8 mm; red to range-red and all blind [no eyes]; form dense nomadic columns that swarm through gardens and fields by night or in dull weather; fiercely aggressive and attack on contact: Dorylus helvolus [Red driver ant], Dorylinae

Large dark grey ants with pitted skin and golden hairs, about 12 mm long; slow moving, usually seen singly, live in small colonies of a few dozen individuals; prominent sting: Bothroponera pumicosa [Rugged ringbum ant], Ponerinae

Dark red to red-brown ants with black gasters covered by dense, yellow hairs; minor workers about 12 mm, majors large up to 20 mm, few intermediates; ants ‘see’ you if you wave a hand above them; widespread in arid areas; forage by day; quick moving: Camponotus fulvopilosus [Balbyter sugar ant], Formicinae

Dark red to red-brown ants with black gasters covered by dense, creamy hairs; minor workers about 12 mm, majors large up to 20 mm, a few intermediates; ants ‘see’ you if you wave a hand above them; widespread in arid areas; forage by day; quick moving: Camponotus storeatus [White balbyter sugar ant], Formicinae

Large ants in a variety of colours from pale yellow to dark brown, usually with spots of  a contrasting colour on the gaster; ants are large, minor workers up to 10-11 mm, majors up to 20 mm, few intermediates; nocturnal ants, nest under stones and in the ground and usually only seen by chance: Camponotus maculatus [Spotted sugar ants], Formicinae