Honeydew-mutualism
Guides
Camponotus
Carpenter ants, Typical sugar ants and allies
Camponotus is a large and diverse genus of ants commonly known as carpenter ants, comprising approximately 1,000 described species worldwide. Members are characterized by their habit of excavating wood to create nest galleries, though they do not consume wood as food. The genus exhibits considerable size variation among workers, with major workers often more than twice the size of minors. Camponotus ants are eusocial, forming long-lived colonies with cooperative brood care, overlapping generations, and reproductive division of labor. They occupy diverse ecological roles including predation, scavenging, and mutualistic relationships with honeydew-producing insects.
Lasius emarginatus
ManhattAnt, Central European Bicolored Ant
Lasius emarginatus is a small formicine ant native to western Eurasia that has become a notable invasive species in North America. First discovered in New York City in 2011, it earned the nickname "ManhattAnt" and has since become one of the most common ants in the city, spreading at approximately 2 km per year into New Jersey and Long Island. Workers are distinguished by their reddish-brown thorax contrasting with darker brown head and abdomen. The species is increasingly reported as an indoor pest and forms mutualisms with honeydew-producing insects on street trees. Unlike many invasive ants, it does not display supercolonial behavior.