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Florida Carpenter Ant

Camponotus floridanus

Description:

Order: Hymenoptera Family: Formicidae Genus: Camponotus The Florida ant complex, is comprised of several species. These bicolored arboreal ants, are among the largest ants found in Florida, making them apparent as they forage or fly, indoors and out. The antennae, of Florida carpenter ants, are 12-segmented. There is a circular ring of hair, at the end of the abdomen. The waist consists of one petiolar segment. The thorax is evenly convex, a key characteristic of carpenter ants. The thorax and head, are ash brown to rusty-orange, and the gaster is black. Body hairs are abundant, long, and golden. As with all members of the Order Humenoptera, carpenter ants develope by complete metamorphosis. Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult. Carpenter ants, are one of the most common, indoor insect pests in Florida. Florida carpenter ants, tend to forage at night. Carpenter ants, will also seek out other insects, both living and dead, for food. Carpenter ants, are large ants, ( 0.3 to 1.0 inches ), indigenous to many forested parts of the world. They build there nests inside wood, consisting of galleries chewed out with there mandibles, preferably in dead, damp wood. Carpenter ants are foragers, that typically eat parts of other dead insects, or substances derived from other insects. Common foods for them include: insect parts, "honey dew" produced by aphids, or some secretions from plants. This ant, had two pairs of transparent wings. This ant, had two antennae, and two, black, colored eyes. This ant, had a reddish-black head. This ant, had a reddish-black thorax, and a black gaster. This ant, had six jointed legs. It had a head, thorax, and an abdomen. It had a wasp waist. This winged ant was alive, and able to move.

Habitat:

Carpenter ant species, reside both outdoors and indoors, in most decaying, or hollow wood, most commonly in forest environments. I saw this winged ant, resting on a concrete wall, on the outside of my house.

Notes:

I went outside at 7:00 a.m. in the morning. I saw a winged ant, resting on a concrete wall, on the outside of my house. This ant, had two pairs, of transparent wings. This ant, had two antennae, and two, black, colored eyes. This ant, had a reddish-black head. This ant, had a reddish-black thorax, and a black gaster. This ant, had six, jointed legs. It had a head, thorax, and an abdomen. It had a wasp waist. This ant was alive, and able to move.

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maplemoth66
Spotted by
maplemoth66

Florida, USA

Spotted on Jul 22, 2015
Submitted on Aug 2, 2015

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