Red Carpenter Ant

New York Carpenter Ant

Camponotus novaeboracensis

This page may contain affiliate links.
Read our disclosure and privacy policy here.

Red carpenter ants are fascinating insects found in North America. They are known for their size, measuring between 6 to 15 millimeters long. These ants make their homes in forests and love living in decaying wood, like old tree stumps or logs. They don’t actually eat the wood like termites. Instead, they dig tunnels and rooms inside it to create their nests. Red carpenter ants are really strong and can move a lot of wood as they build their homes. They have an important job in nature because they help break down the old wood and return nutrients back to the soil. So, even though their size may make them look a little scary, red carpenter ants are actually helpful little creatures in the big world of insects!

Red Carpenter Ant

Common Name

Red Carpenter Ant

Other Names

New York Carpenter Ant

Latin Name

Camponotus novaeboracensis

Distribution

United States, Canada. Can be found in wooded areas, near houses or other wooden structures.

Appearance

Red carpenter ants are relatively large ants, with a dark reddish-brown thorax with a black head and abdomen.

Size

Workers range from about 6 to 10 millimeters in length. Queens are approximately 15mm long.

Habitat

These ants are commonly found in forests and wooded areas, where they nest in decaying wood, tree stumps, or logs. The can also be found in structures like homes or buildings.

Behavior

Red carpenter ants excavate galleries within wood to create their nests. They do not actually eat the wood like termites do; instead, they remove it to create tunnels and chambers for their colony. Over time, they can cause structural damage to wooden structures.

Diet

Red carpenter ants are omnivorous. They primarily feed on sweet substances like nectar, honeydew produced by aphids, and other insects. They can also scavenge for food and are known to forage for protein-rich sources such as dead insects or other small arthropods.

Communication

Carpenter ants use chemical signals called pheromones to communicate with each other. They leave scent trails to guide other ants to food sources or to mark paths to and from the nest.

Defense Mechanisms

When threatened, red carpenter ants can defend themselves by biting and using their strong mandibles. They can also emit formic acid as a defensive chemical.

Ecological Importance

Red carpenter ants play a role in the by aiding in the of decaying wood. They break down the wood, helping to return nutrients back into the soil.

Colony Structure

Like most ant species, red carpenter ants live in colonies. Each colony is made up of different castes, including workers, majors, queens, and sometimes winged reproductive ants. The workers are responsible for tasks such as foraging, nest maintenance, and caring for the young.

Photo Credit: The amazing image used for the main picture in this post was taken by Kamil Stajniak from Poland. He has generously given us permission to use his photographs on our site. You can check out his other photographs on his website.

Red Carpenter Ants, known scientifically as Camponotus novaeboracensis, are fascinating insects with unique behaviors and important roles in their ecosystems. These ants are found in many parts of the world and are known for their strength, building skills, and complex social structures. Let’s explore what makes these ants so interesting and important.

Discovering the Red Carpenter Ant: Camponotus Novaeboracensis

Hey kids! Let’s learn about an amazing insect called the Red Carpenter Ant. This ant species is also known as Camponotus novaeboracensis. They have fascinating behaviors and play important roles in nature. Let’s find out what makes these ants so special!

What Are Red Carpenter Ants?

Red Carpenter Ants are large ants with a reddish-brown color. They are found in many parts of the world, including forests, fields, and even near our homes. Worker ants, the ants you usually see, can be 6 to 12 mm long. Despite their small size, they are very strong and can carry heavy things.

Home Builders in Nature

Red Carpenter Ants are called “carpenters” because they build their nests in wood. They carve out tunnels and rooms inside dead trees, stumps, and logs. Sometimes, they even make their homes in the wooden parts of houses. But they don’t eat the wood like termites do. Instead, they remove the wood to make space for their nests.

Life Inside the Colony

A Red Carpenter Ant colony is like a busy city. The queen is the only one who lays eggs. The worker ants, which are all female, have different jobs. Some workers find food, others take care of the young ants, and some expand and repair the nest. There are also male ants whose main job is to mate with a future queen.

What Do They Eat?

These ants enjoy a variety of foods. They eat insects, sweet things like honeydew from aphids, and even scraps of meat and fats. They love the sweet honeydew so much that they protect aphids from other predators to keep getting this tasty treat.

Importance in the Environment

Red Carpenter Ants are very helpful to the environment. They break down dead wood, which helps put nutrients back into the soil. They also help spread plant seeds and serve as food for many animals, like birds and other insects.

Defenders and Their Enemies

In nature, Red Carpenter Ants have many friends and foes. They protect aphids to get honeydew, but they also have to defend themselves from predators like birds, spiders, and larger insects. Sometimes, fungi can also be harmful to them.

How They Reproduce

In the spring, some Red Carpenter Ants with wings, called ‘alates’, leave the nest to mate. After mating, the male alates die, and the fertilized females, now new queens, start their own colonies. This is how they spread and create new nests.

Amazing Adaptations

Red Carpenter Ants have some cool adaptations. They use special chemicals called pheromones to talk to each other. They can also use their strong jaws to defend themselves and to carry big pieces of food or building materials.

Challenges They Face

Even though they are not endangered, Red Carpenter Ants face challenges like losing their homes and the effects of pesticides. They also compete with other ant species like the invasive Argentine ants for food and space.