Diet

• Predatory, feeding primarily on ants, termites, flies, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, centipedes, and other small arthropods.

• Also scavenges dead insects and occasionally feeds on nectar and honeydew.

• Workers hunt alone, capturing prey with their powerful trap-like mandibles before delivering a venomous sting.

Range

• Native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and much of northern South America.

• Widespread in Mexico, including the Pacific coast of Guerrero and the Zihuatanejo region.

• It has also become established as an introduced species in parts of the southeastern United States.

Habitat

• Inhabits tropical dry forests, tropical rainforests, mangroves, secondary forests, woodland edges, plantations, gardens, and urban green spaces.

• Nests in soil, beneath stones, under leaf litter, inside rotting logs, and beneath loose bark.

• Most active on the forest floor, especially in warm, humid conditions.

Size

• Worker length: 8–12 mm (0.3–0.5 in)

• Queen length: 12–15 mm (0.5–0.6 in)

• Colonies generally contain 100–1,000 workers.