Ant (Carpenter, Asian)

About the Ant (Carpenter, Asian)

Among the largest ants in the world. Queens can reach 25 mm. They do not eat wood but excavate extensive galleries in dead and decaying trees. A mature colony can contain 50,000 workers over 15-20 years. They are primarily nocturnal foragers. They can lift 50x their body weight. They produce formic acid as a defense. They play crucial roles in forest decomposition. Over 1,000 carpenter ant species exist worldwide. They are often mistaken for termites. Their bite can be painful but they are not aggressive toward humans unless the nest is threatened.