# Shaded Fuzzy Ant (*lasius aphidicola*) The Shaded Fuzzy Ant is a tiny creature with a soft, fuzzy body that helps it blend into its surroundings. These ants work together in large groups to find food and keep their home safe! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Shaded Fuzzy Ants live in forests and gardens where they can find plenty of food and shelter. - **Also known as:** Fuzzy Ant, Soft Ant ![Shaded Fuzzy Ant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Shaded_Fuzzy_Ant_%28Lasius_aphidicola%29_-_Killarney%252C_Ontario_2018-09-13.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shaded_Fuzzy_Ant_%28Lasius_aphidicola%29_-_Killarney%252C_Ontario_2018-09-13.jpg) ## Appearance The Shaded Fuzzy Ant is a small insect, typically dark brown to black, covered in fine, dense hairs giving it a distinctly fuzzy appearance. Its body is segmented into a head, thorax, and abdomen, with slender, elbowed antennae. Unlike many ants, its dark, matte coloring helps it blend seamlessly into shaded forest floors. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Formicidae - **Genus:** Lasius ## Interesting facts - A single Shaded Fuzzy Ant colony can have several queens, making it a huge royal family! - Ants have two stomachs: one for themselves, and one for sharing food with their nestmates! - These ants create complex underground tunnels, like miniature cities hidden beneath your feet! - They use tiny hairs on their legs to climb almost any surface, even smooth, slippery glass! ## Special abilities - **Shadow Cloak:** Shaded Fuzzy Ant has a fuzzy, dark coat that helps them absorb warmth in cool areas and blend into dark forest shadows. - **Super Strength:** Shaded Fuzzy Ant can lift objects many times their own weight because their small size-to-strength ratio allows incredible hauling power. - **Scent Whisperer:** Shaded Fuzzy Ant can communicate using special pheromone trails that help them find food and warn nestmates of danger. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 3-5 mm - **Lifespan:** 60-90 days - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 5000-15000 ## Diet & Feeding These tiny ants mostly eat sweet honeydew from aphids and scavenge for dead insects and seeds. - **Primary Foods:** honeydew, dead insects, nectar, seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** Black Bean Aphid (*Aphis fabae*) — Ants protect these aphids for their sugary honeydew. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Magpie](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-magpie) (*Pica pica*) — Birds, like magpies, often feast on foraging ants. - **Eaten by:** Red Wood Ant (*Formica rufa*) — Larger, more aggressive ants sometimes prey on Shaded Fuzzy Ants. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Shaded Fuzzy Ant? Compare the antennae, waist segments, body proportions and size. Workers, queens and males of the same species can look surprisingly different. Ant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Shaded Fuzzy Ant? 3-5 mm ### How long does Shaded Fuzzy Ant live? 60-90 days ### What does Shaded Fuzzy Ant eat? These tiny ants mostly eat sweet honeydew from aphids and scavenge for dead insects and seeds. ### Where is Shaded Fuzzy Ant usually found? Shaded Fuzzy Ants live in forests and gardens where they can find plenty of food and shelter. ### How does Shaded Fuzzy Ant hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Shaded Fuzzy Ant have? 6 ### How large are Shaded Fuzzy Ant colonies? 5000-15000 ## Where to spot - [Circleville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/circleville-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Davisville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/davisville-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [North Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/north-park) — Pennsylvania, US · Park - [Ashlawn Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashlawn-park) — Virginia, US · Park [View all places to see Shaded Fuzzy Ant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/shaded-fuzzy-ant) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Shaded Fuzzy Ant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shaded-fuzzy-ant)