Carpenter Ant vs Mountain Pine Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Carpenter Ant | Mountain Pine Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Camponotus pennsylvanicus | Dendroctonus ponderosae |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Curculionidae |
| Size | 6-13 mm | 4-7 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Forests |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Wood Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | North America |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
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.
Did You Know?
Injured workers that cannot keep up during colony relocations are carried by nestmates to the new site.
Mountain Pine Beetle
A small dark brown bark beetle that bores into pine trees to lay eggs beneath the bark. Massive outbreaks have devastated millions of hectares of North American forests.
Did You Know?
Mountain pine beetles carry blue stain fungi that block water transport in trees, turning the wood a distinctive blue-gray color.