Australian Stink Ant vs Carpenter Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Australian Stink Ant Carpenter Ant
Scientific Name Iridomyrmex bicknelli Camponotus pennsylvanicus
Order Hymenoptera Hymenoptera
Family Formicidae Formicidae
Size 3-5 mm 6-13 mm
Habitat Woodlands Woodlands
Diet Sap Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Australia, Oceania Eastern North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Australian Stink Ant

A small, fast-moving ant that releases a strong, unpleasant odour when crushed, giving it its common name. It forms large colonies and is one of the most common ants in Australian suburban environments.

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Did You Know?

Iridomyrmex ants dominate Australian ant communities and are among the most ecologically successful ants in the Southern Hemisphere.

Carpenter Ant

The largest common ant in North America, excavating smooth galleries in dead wood for nesting. Unlike termites, they do not eat wood but merely remove it to create living space.

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Did You Know?

Injured workers that cannot keep up during colony relocations are carried by nestmates to the new site.