# Eastern Black Carpenter Ant (*Camponotus pennsylvanicus*) The Eastern Black Carpenter Ant is a big, black ant that loves to build its home in wood. They work together in groups to find food and keep their nest safe. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 59 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Eastern Black Carpenter Ant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Camponotus_pennsylvanicus_-_Bill_Sheehan_-_409382557.jpeg&width=800) Photo: Bill Sheehan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Camponotus_pennsylvanicus_-_Bill_Sheehan_-_409382557.jpeg) ## Appearance The Eastern Black Carpenter Ant is a large, robust ant, entirely dull black in color, sometimes with faint reddish legs. It has a distinctive large head and a single, prominent node connecting its thorax and abdomen, making it look very sturdy. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Formicidae - **Genus:** Camponotus ## Interesting facts - A queen ant can live over 15 years, starting a whole new colony all by herself! - Some worker ants are "scouts," finding new food far from home! - They "farm" tiny aphids, guarding them for their sweet honeydew treats! - When building nests, they push out "frass," a sawdust-like digging waste! ## Special abilities - **Wood Excavator:** Eastern Black Carpenter Ant can carve intricate nests inside wood because of its powerful mandibles. - **Chemical Defender:** Eastern Black Carpenter Ant has an ability to spray formic acid from its abdomen that helps them repel attackers. - **Super Strength:** Eastern Black Carpenter Ant can lift objects many times its own body weight because of its strong muscles. - **Pheromone Communicator:** Eastern Black Carpenter Ant has an advanced chemical communication system that helps them share complex information. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 20-25 mm - **Size:** 6-12 mm - **Lifespan:** 365-5475 days - **Leg Count:** 6 - **Colony Size:** 50000 ## Diet & Feeding These ants enjoy a varied diet of sweet liquids and protein from other insects and carcasses. - **Primary Foods:** Honeydew, Nectar, Fruit juices, Dead insects, Other small arthropods - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** Cotton Aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Ants guard aphids for their sweet honeydew. - **Eaten by:** [Pileated Woodpecker](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pileated-woodpecker) (*Dryocopus pileatus*) — Woodpeckers dig into nests to eat these ants. - **Eats:** Silky Ant (*Formica subsericea*) — These ants scavenge dead or hunt smaller ant species. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Don't disturb ant nests; they are busy working and can bite if scared. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Eastern Black Carpenter Ant? Compare the antennae, waist segments, body proportions and size. Workers, queens and males of the same species can look surprisingly different. Ant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Eastern Black Carpenter Ant's wingspan? 20-25 mm ### How big is Eastern Black Carpenter Ant? 6-12 mm ### How long does Eastern Black Carpenter Ant live? 365-5475 days ### What does Eastern Black Carpenter Ant eat? These ants enjoy a varied diet of sweet liquids and protein from other insects and carcasses. ### Where is Eastern Black Carpenter Ant usually found? Forests ### How does Eastern Black Carpenter Ant hunt? Foraging ### How many legs does Eastern Black Carpenter Ant have? 6 ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/albemarle-and-chesapeake-canal) — Virginia, US · Historic Site - [Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alfred-b-maclay-gardens-state-park) — Florida, US · Botanical Garden - [Bean Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bean-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Blackstone Boulevard–Cole Avenue–Grotto Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackstone-boulevard-cole-avenue-grotto-avenue-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Broadway-Armory Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-armory-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District [View all places to see Eastern Black Carpenter Ant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/eastern-black-carpenter-ant) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Eastern Black Carpenter Ant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-black-carpenter-ant)