Camponotus floridanus

Major worker of the Florida carpenter ant

These ants are highly aggressive and fast moving, being quick to swarm any disturbance to their nest. Workers are relentless as they attack, meticulously checking for weaknesses in the skin and targeting vulnerable areas such as the skin creases or the nail cuticles. Major workers can deliver particularly devastating bites as their mandibles more readily pierce the skin, for which they may then spray noxious formic acid onto. The unusual aggression of this Camponotus species may be an adaptation in response to its nesting habits, as they commonly inhabit extensively rotted deadwood that can easily be broken apart by hand.

Outside of deadwood, colonies may be found nesting underground within the base of a living tree or inside tree cavities. Even artificial structures such as hollow poles or fencing may be taken residence. Colonies prefer shaded areas in which to nest, such as in dense woodlands, though any area with many trees which provide adequate shade is potential suitable habitat. Floridanus is readily tolerant of disturbed areas of human habitation, making them a common sight in the densely populated suburbs of Florida. In certain areas these ants can be quite populous and during mating flights the winged individuals numerous, leading to concerned property owners finding them on the walls of stores, buildings and homes. These ants however are not generally considered a threat to structures as they do not normally excavate into wood unlike some wood-boring species of Camponotus, instead preferring existing cavities to nest in.

Floridanus primarily forages at night, though workers from larger colonies may be seen foraging during the day (in shaded areas). Different worker castes also perform different roles in the colony, with the smaller workers caring for the brood and queen, maintaining the nest and foraging for food. Major workers however only defend the nest and do not venture far, unless travelling to and from the numerous satellite nests the colony occupies. Northern populations undergo a diapause during the winter, while southernmost populations do not experience much dramatic and extensive diapause periods, if not at all, due to the warm tropical climate of South Florida. Compared to other members of its genus, C. floridanus is one of the most active and faster growing Camponotus species in North America.

Nuptial flights begin around May and peak in the summer months. Flights are triggered after heavy rains have raised the humidity of the air to 80-90% and temperatures around 80+°F are present half an hour after sunset. The female alates mate in the air once then ground themselves to search for a location to establish a new colony. Floridanus is highly productive and colonies grow rapidly, reaching 1,000 workers within the first year and potentially exceeding 8,000 individuals in a mature colony 2-3 years later. Both male and female alates are attracted to bright white lights and can be found en masse around street, court, and field lights.

Queens are fully claustral and colonies are monogynous (contain one queen).

The Florida carpenter ant is omnivorous, taking arthropod food items as well as sweets, such as nectar or the sugary secretions produced by aphids in which they care for and defend. Like other Camponotus, they have their own species of symbiotic bacteria in the genus Blochmannia that helps supplement their nutrient poor diets. These bacteria recycle waste products, such as urates from animal urine, into usable amino acids for the ants. [5]