black carpenter ant
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The black carpenter ant (''Camponotus pennsylvanicus'') is one of the largest and most common species of
carpenter ant Carpenter ants (''Camponotus'' spp.) are a genus of large ants (workers ) indigenous to many parts of the world. True carpenter ants build nests inside wood, consisting of galleries chewed out with their mandibles or jaws, preferably in dead, ...
native to the central and eastern
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as well as eastern
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.


Description

''C. pennsylvanicus'' can be distinguished from other carpenter ant species by the dull black color of the head and body, and by whitish or yellowish hairs on the
abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...
. All
caste A caste is a Essentialism, fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (en ...
s of this species (including the major and minor workers,
queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
s and males) are black or blackish. Black carpenter ants are polymorphic, workers can be in different sizes. The queens can reach a length of 19–21 mm and the largest workers (super majors) can achieve similar sizes of around 14–17 mm . They, along with several other ''Camponotus'' species, are among the largest species of ant in North America. As with all ants, the antennae are geniculate (elbowed). Workers usually have 12 antenna segments.
Alate Alate (Latin ''ālātus'', from ''āla'' (“wing”)) is an adjective and noun used in entomology and botany to refer to something that has wings or winglike structures. In entomology In entomology, "alate" usually refers to the winged form of ...
s typically have yellowish wings.


Behavior

Black carpenter ants are known to forage up to 100 yd (91 m) in search of food, establishing chemical (
pheromone A pheromone () is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting like hormones outside the body of the secreting individual, to affect the behavio ...
) trails as they forage. They locate food through their sense of smell. Nests can contain thousands of individuals, and such large nests may be noticed by the audible cracking sound the workers produce. The black carpenter ant cannot sting, but the larger workers can administer a sharp bite, which can become further irritated by the spraying of
formic acid Formic acid (), systematically named methanoic acid, is the simplest carboxylic acid. It has the chemical formula HCOOH and structure . This acid is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in some an ...
onto the wound. Workers tend aphids, with the smaller workers collecting honeydew and transferring it to larger workers that carry it back to the nest. In addition, foragers feed on dead insects and plant juices. Foraging typically occurs at night.


Range

Black carpenter ants occur almost everywhere east of the
Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...
in woodlands, forest edges, and suburban communities.


Control measures

In their natural environment, carpenter ants nest in dead trees and other dead wood. This enhances decay, which has ecological benefits. However, the ant achieves pest status when a colony invades the wood of a house or other structure, damaging its structural integrity.Carpenter Ant Management
/ref> Since they favor moist wood as a habitat, any condition that promotes moisture should be eliminated to prevent infestation. The easiest of these is keeping
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s clear so water does not run down the side of the structure or gain entry. Moist wood is much easier to chew. The ants do not eat the wood, but remove it to create galleries for their activities. The galleries run parallel to the grain, as they are created in the softer, non-aligning portions of the timber. The galleries have a sandpaper-like feel, due to fecal remnants, but the mud tubes produced by
termite Termites are a group of detritivore, detritophagous Eusociality, eusocial cockroaches which consume a variety of Detritus, decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, Plant litter, leaf litter, and Humus, soil humus. They are dist ...
s will not be present.


References


External links

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q3919739 Camponotus Household pest insects Insects described in 1773 Insects of the United States Insects of Canada Taxa named by Charles De Geer