Carpenter-Mimic Ant vs South American Fire Ant
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Carpenter-Mimic Ant | South American Fire Ant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Camponotus chromaiodes | Solenopsis saevissima |
| Order | Hymenoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Formicidae | Formicidae |
| Size | 6-13 mm | 2-6 mm |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Rivers & Streams |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Seed Feeders |
| Regions | Eastern North America | Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Carpenter-Mimic Ant
A large bicolored carpenter ant with a bright red thorax and black head and gaster, common in eastern North American forests. Workers excavate galleries in dead wood and are primarily nocturnal foragers. They are often confused with C. pennsylvanicus.
Did You Know?
They produce a distinctive alarm pheromone that smells like nail polish remover, detectable even by humans when a nest is disturbed.
South American Fire Ant
An aggressive reddish-brown fire ant native to South America with a painful venomous sting. Colonies form conspicuous mound nests in open areas.
Did You Know?
During floods, entire colonies link together into living rafts that float for weeks until finding dry ground.