Workers are 1/4 to 1/8 inch long and monomorphic. Queens are up to ⅜ long. There are several species of acrobat ants, and colors range from light brown to black. Antennae have 11 segments and a 3-segmented club. These ants have a 2-segment pedicel (2 nodes) and a Gaster that is heart shaped from the dorsal view, with a stinger. Acrobat ants will raise their Gaster over the thorax when disturbed, which is an important clue to their identification

Acrobat ants will nest indoors in similar conditions as carpenter ants, such as moisture-and fungus-damaged wood and old damage from other insects. They will also nest in and behind foam insulation and in wall voids. They will trail from outdoor nesting areas through tiny cracks and openings or spaces at doors and windows to forage indoors. They will trail up to 100 feet from the colony. Food preferences are for sweets, as these ants actively tend aphids, and proteins.

Although Acrobat ants will bite, they are mostly just a nuisance pest that forages in your home when necessary and cooler temps bring them in.