Bug Identifier
Carpenter Ant
Community identification

Carpenter Ant

Camponotus ssp.

Order & Family
Hymenoptera: Formicidae
Size
3 mm to 13 mm (workers) and up to 25 mm (queens)
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Nests in moist or decaying wood, including tree stumps, logs, and structural timbers of homes.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous; they eat honeydew produced by aphids, plant juices, and other insects but do not eat wood.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal foragers that create smooth galleries in wood for nesting. They live in large social colonies with a complex caste system.

Risks & Benefits

Structural risk to homes due to tunneling in wood; beneficial to ecosystems by aiding in wood decomposition and preying on other pests.