The black garden ant (Lasius niger) is a formicine ant, the type species of the subgenus Lasius, found all over Europe and in some parts of North America and Asia. It is the most common ant to be found in the UK, it is deemed to be a pest once it migrates inside or starts to cause damage to mortar or the stability of paving.
The nest is made up of a single queen and a colony of around 4,000–6,000 workers (sterile females).
Black garden ants often explore their surroundings quite extensively during early summer months in an effort to increase the food supply to their queen and her young.