Eastern Black Carpenter Ant

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Camponotus pennsylvanicus: //ˌkæmpəˈnoʊtəs ˌpɛn.sɪlˈvænɪkəs//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Summary

Camponotus pennsylvanicus, known as the Eastern Black Carpenter Ant, is a common species in the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. and eastern Canada. They are known for their role in wood decomposition and ecological contributions, as well as their potential pest status in developed areas due to nesting in wooden structures.

Physical Characteristics

Dull black color of the head and body, whitish or yellowish hairs on the abdomen. Queens: 19–21 mm; large workers (super majors): 14–17 mm; workers: 6-7 mm (smallest minor worker) to 12-14 mm (large major worker). Antennae are geniculate with workers usually having 12 segments; alates have yellowish wings.

Identification Tips

Can be distinguished from other carpenter ant species by the dull black color and distinct coloration on the abdomen (whitish or yellowish hairs). All castes are black or blackish. Polymorphic in worker sizes.

Habitat

Broadleaf and mixed forests, woodlands, parks, cemeteries, and lawns. Nests in dead, usually rotten wood; occasionally in wooden buildings with wet or dry rot.

Distribution

Eastern United States to British Columbia, primarily east of the Rocky Mountains.

Diet

Sweets and protein from extrafloral nectaries, honeydew of aphids and hoppers, scavenging or hunting soft-bodied insects.

Life Cycle

Mating flights occur on warm, humid afternoons in spring; alates can be reared in late summer. Mated queens rear 3-10 small workers in the summer following spring mating flights. Mature colonies can live for 15 years or more.

Reproduction

Mating flights typically occur in the spring; fall flights may occur in small nests under bark. Queens rear the first brood during the summer following mating.

Ecosystem Role

Nest in dead wood, enhancing decay, which has ecological benefits.

Economic Impact

Achieves pest status when colonies invade wooden structures, damaging structural integrity.

Health Concerns

Black carpenter ants cannot sting, but larger workers can administer a sharp bite which can irritate when formic acid is sprayed.

Collecting Methods

• Manual collection
• Baiting traps
• Nesting site observation

Preservation Methods

• Alcohol preservation
• Freezing specimens
• Drying specimens

Similar Taxa

• Camponotus modoc
• Camponotus herculeanus

Misconceptions

Often confused with termites due to their nesting behavior in wood, but they do not eat wood.

Tags

• ant
• Camponotus
• black carpenter ant
• pest management
• ecology