Stats

Lifespan: 1-10 yrs
Size: Large
Diet: Omnivore
Activity: Nocturnal
Social: Colony
Biome: Temperate forest
Range: North America
Movement: Walking
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Toxins
Status: Common

About

The largest ant native to eastern North America, with major workers reaching 13 mm long. Unlike termites, carpenter ants don't eat wood — they excavate smooth-walled galleries inside moist or decayed timber and leave behind telltale piles of coarse sawdust called frass.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A small egg is laid on or near the larval food source and hatches within days or weeks.
2.
juvenile
An immature insect feeds and molts, growing through successive instars.
3.
subadult
A near-adult insect has wing buds or near-mature form, one molt away from full size.
4.
adult
Fully grown, with full wings and adult coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Genus: Camponotus
Species: Camponotus pennsylvanicus