Tree-Nesting Nasute Termite vs Golden Carpenter Ant

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Tree-Nesting Nasute Termite Golden Carpenter Ant
Scientific Name Nasutitermes corniger Camponotus sericeiventris
Order Blattodea Hymenoptera
Family Termitidae Formicidae
Size 3-5 mm 8-18 mm
Habitat Forests Forests
Diet Wood Feeders Herbivores
Regions Central America, South America, Caribbean Central and South America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Tree-Nesting Nasute Termite

A common arboreal termite in the Americas that builds large dark carton nests in trees. Covered foraging trails extend from the nest down the trunk to the forest floor.

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Did You Know?

Their tree nests can weigh over 50 kilograms and house more than a million individuals.

Golden Carpenter Ant

A striking large ant with dense golden or silvery pubescence covering its gaster, giving it a metallic sheen. Workers are among the largest ants in the Neotropics. They nest in both live and dead trees in tropical forests.

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Did You Know?

The dense pubescence on their body is thought to serve a thermoregulatory function similar to the Saharan silver ant.