Head to head
Red Wood Ant vs Carpenter Ant
Red Wood Ant
VS Carpenter Ant
The red wood ant and carpenter ants are two groups of large forest ants whose nests are built from or in wood, with very different forms.
| Red Wood Ant | Carpenter Ant | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Formica rufa | Camponotus (a genus of many species) |
| Nest | Large mounds of conifer needles and twigs that can stand around a metre high | Smooth tunnels and galleries excavated through dead or decaying wood |
| Diet | Honeydew collected from aphids, plus a large number of hunted insects | Other insects, aphid honeydew, and sugary plant material, rather than the wood itself |
| Colony | Can house hundreds of thousands of workers and many queens | A mature colony often has several satellite nests connected to and supporting a main nest |
| Defence | Workers rear up and spray formic acid from the tip of the abdomen | In some species, soldiers can rupture their own body wall to spray a sticky, toxic secretion at an attacker |
| Role | A forest keystone species that protects trees from some pests, spreads seeds, and feeds woodpeckers, and is protected by law in several European countries | A significant structural pest when nests are built in the wood of buildings |
| Range | Coniferous and mixed forests across Europe and parts of northern Asia | Forest habitat across most of the world |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated globally, though protected in several European countries | Least Concern |
Red Wood Ant vs Carpenter Ant: common questions
Do carpenter ants eat wood?
No, they excavate wood to build their nests, but unlike termites they do not eat it as food.
Why is the red wood ant important?
It protects trees from some pests, spreads seeds, and provides food for woodpeckers and other animals.
Which one builds mounds?
The red wood ant, which builds large mounds of conifer needles and twigs that can stand around a metre high.