SUSTAINING BIODIVERSITY IN UNIVERSITY SCIENCE MALAYSIA

Compact Carpenter ants

Appearance:
Compact Carpenter ants have a brown head and thorax, and a blackish abdomen.

Size:
Range from 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch in length.

Behavior:
Workers forage in very dispersed trails or individually, and are active all day long. They are scavengers and will feed on a wide variety of liquid and solid foods.

Habitat:
Their most common habitats are hollow twigs, old termite galleries in dead wood, voids of tree trunks, and leaf axel bases in palms. They will also nest in the rotted ends of fence pickets and rails.

Unique Characteristics:
Carpenter ants do not forage during the daytime, and are usually only seen in the evenings. However, Compact Carpenter ants are quite comfortable foraging during the heat of the day.