ANTS, BEES, AND WASP

Black Carpenter Ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Order: Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, and Wasps)

Size: Up to 5⁄8"

Habitat: Deciduous woodlands, logs, fields, wooden structures

Range: Central and eastern United States

Black Carpenter Ants are large ants that form complex colonies in some form of wood source, although they do not eat the wood, but chew it away for nesting cavities. Colonies consist of different types of these ants, including a queen and different-size workers. In general, they have the familiar ant-like constricted waist region and clearly elbowed antennae. They are colored jet black and have yellowish hairs on the abdomen. They feed on just about anything, including a wide variety of insects, aphid honeydew, fungi, fruits, and scraps from humans (especially sweets). A scout ant, upon finding a food source, leaves a chemical trail back to the nest to notify others where to go. It is best not to handle these ants, as they can deliver a painful bite.