thief ant

noun

1. a small red ant, Solenopsis molesta, of North America, that nests in the walls of the nest of a larger species from which it steals eggs and young larvae.

Word History and Origins

Origin of thief ant¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

A screened hole at the bottom of the tube kept out any ants bigger than a thief ant.

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One of those is the pesky, poppy seed–size thief ant, which steals and eats the young of larger ants.

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