7 replies to this topic

[michiganantsinmyyard]

How do you separate Formica from Camponotus through simple eyeballing? Of course, some species of Camponotus have majors, plus it’s easier to tell the species by breaking into a nest full of them, but if I were walking, and just a couple, or one worker was walking by, is there a way I could quickly tell without good eyes or a microscope that it is Formica or Camponotus?

[ReignofRage]

The thoracic dorsum of Camponotus forms an even curve. The thoracic dorsum of Formica is interrupted by a depressed mesonotal juncture and the mesonotum is typically slightly raised.

[ANTdrew]

Formica usually move in much faster, erratic spurts than Camponotus.

[Virginian_ants]

Formica have smaller heads but this isn't always true

[Stubyvast]

Formica are usually way faster, more erratic in movement, and they don't have big-headed majors to the same extent as most Camponotus do. Look for majors to differentiate. Also I heard that Formica have the most advanced aphid-tending strategies, so if you see lots of ants moving, guarding, and transporting aphids/honeydew around, it's probably formica. Also I noticed that, at least the colonies I have around my house, Formica forms mounds of sand where they dig, but the mounds are pretty flat and wide, while Camponotus doesn't really do this, unless in wood, in which case they form shorter, taller mounds of wood shavings. However, this is only what I've seen in my area, and is likely not the same everywhere. Finally, if you see some species forming huge nests out of twigs and suchlike, it's formica obscuripes. Just so you know, haha.

[gcsnelling]

The thoracic dorsum of Camponotus forms an even curve. The thoracic dorsum of Formica is interrupted by a depressed mesonotal juncture and the mesonotum is typically slightly raised.

And it is simple as that, at least in the U.S.

[Serafine]

 

Note that Camponotus start to look the more like Formica the further south you go.

[Stubyvast]

Yah up in BC, completely different. you can just tell by eyeballing it.