slave ant

noun

1. an ant taken as a larva or pupa by ants of another species and becoming a working member of the captor colony.

slave ant

noun

1. any of various ants, esp Formica fusca, captured and forced to do the work of a colony of ants of another species ( slave-making ants ) See also amazon ant

Word History and Origins

Origin of slave ant¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

A master ant presently came along, an animated conversation took place, and the slave ant was seized upon and borne off again to bondage.

From Project Gutenberg

It seems probable that they now creep into a nest of the far more powerful slave ants, poison or assassinate the queen, and establish themselves by sheer usurpation in the queenless nest.

From Project Gutenberg

The same gentleman another day observed a slave ant venture out to the entrance to the ant-hill to enjoy the warmth of the sun.

From Project Gutenberg