Hercules Carpenter Ant
Camponotus herculeanus
This record describes Camponotus herculeanus (species). Recorded family: Formicidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
In New Brunswick can be superficially similar to C. novaeboracencis
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Formicoidea
- Family
- Formicidae (Ants)
- Subfamily
- Formicinae
- Tribe
- Camponotini
- Genus
- Camponotus (Carpenter Ants)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Habitat
This is a boreal and montane species, inhabiting spruce-fir and pine forests, and also one of the few ants that can live in the NW temperate rain forests. Nests are in rotting wood of standing and fallen dead trees and stumps, and in hollows and dead limbs of living trees.
Geographic Range
Holarctic; conifer forests of Canada, Northern USA, and Rocky Mountains. Range extends to tree line in north, unlike related species.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Camponotus herculeanus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).
Ecological role of the group
About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.
Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Hercules Carpenter Ant (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by Lynette Elliott; Additional contributions by Robin McLeod , Tony-2 , Vox Sciurorum , James C. Trager , PaleoJon