The black carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus)[1] is one of the largest and most common species of carpenter ant native to the central and eastern United States as well as eastern Canada.[2][3]
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. All castes of this species (including the major and minor workers, queens 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. Alates typically have yellowish wings.
Behavioredit
Black carpenter ants are known to forage up to 100 yd (91 m) in search of food, establishing chemical (pheromone) trails as they forage. They locate food through their sense of smell.[4] 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 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. [4]
Rangeedit
The black carpenter ants range is almost everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains in woodlands, forest edges, and suburban communities.[5]
Control measuresedit
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.[6]
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 gutters 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 termites will not be present.
^BUCZKOWSKI, GRZEGORZ (2010-11-15). "Suburban sprawl: environmental features affect colony social and spatial structure in the black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus". Ecological Entomology. 36 (1): 62–71. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.2010.01245.x. ISSN 0307-6946.
^Sanders, C. J. (November 1972). "Seasonal and Daily Activity Patterns of Carpenter Ants (Camponotus SPP.) in Northwestern Ontario (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)". The Canadian Entomologist. 104 (11): 1681–1687. doi:10.4039/ent1041681-11. ISSN 0008-347X.
^ abHelmy, O.; Jander, R. (1 February 2003). "Topochemical learning in black carpenter ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus)". Insectes Sociaux. 50 (1): 32–37. doi:10.1007/s000400300005. ISSN 1420-9098.
^"Black Carpenter Ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus". NWF The National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
Media related to Camponotus pennsylvanicus at Wikimedia Commons
May 08, 2024
black, carpenter, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, november,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Black carpenter ant news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message The black carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus 1 is one of the largest and most common species of carpenter ant native to the central and eastern United States as well as eastern Canada 2 3 Black carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus worker Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Arthropoda Class Insecta Order Hymenoptera Family Formicidae Subfamily Formicinae Genus Camponotus Species C pennsylvanicus Binomial name Camponotus pennsylvanicus De Geer 1773 Contents 1 Description 2 Behavior 3 Range 4 Control measures 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp Black carpenter ant male 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 All castes of this species including the major and minor workers queens 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 Alates typically have yellowish wings Behavior editBlack carpenter ants are known to forage up to 100 yd 91 m in search of food establishing chemical pheromone trails as they forage They locate food through their sense of smell 4 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 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 4 Range editThe black carpenter ants range is almost everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains in woodlands forest edges and suburban communities 5 Control measures editIn 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 6 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 gutters 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 termites will not be present References edit Camponotus pennsylvanicus AntCat antcat org Retrieved 2020 08 28 BUCZKOWSKI GRZEGORZ 2010 11 15 Suburban sprawl environmental features affect colony social and spatial structure in the black carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus Ecological Entomology 36 1 62 71 doi 10 1111 j 1365 2311 2010 01245 x ISSN 0307 6946 Sanders C J November 1972 Seasonal and Daily Activity Patterns of Carpenter Ants Camponotus SPP in Northwestern Ontario Hymenoptera Formicidae The Canadian Entomologist 104 11 1681 1687 doi 10 4039 ent1041681 11 ISSN 0008 347X a b Helmy O Jander R 1 February 2003 Topochemical learning in black carpenter ants Camponotus pennsylvanicus Insectes Sociaux 50 1 32 37 doi 10 1007 s000400300005 ISSN 1420 9098 Black Carpenter Ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus NWF The National Wildlife Federation Retrieved 6 September 2018 Carpenter Ant ManagementExternal links edit nbsp Media related to Camponotus pennsylvanicus at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Black carpenter ant amp oldid 1200954592, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
