Workers are roughly 6–15 mm; queens are larger.
Fine-art photographic collection
Camponotus barbaricus
A large Mediterranean carpenter ant with workers spanning a dramatic range of sizes.
About this species
Camponotus barbaricus(Emery, 1905)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Camponotus barbaricus is a large, polymorphic carpenter ant of the western Mediterranean. Colonies nest in soil or sheltered cavities and send long-legged workers to collect honeydew and animal food.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Formicidae · Camponotus
Source checked · checked 2026-07-15
Western Mediterranean and North AfricaBroad documented localities — not a complete range map.
North-western Africa and the western Mediterranean, including the Iberian region and nearby islands.
Warm scrub, open woodland, dry grassland and rocky habitats.
Frequently most visible in the evening or at night during hot weather.
Honeydew and other sugary liquids, supplemented by insects and carrion.
A queen heads a colony of minor, media and major workers; large majors defend nest entrances and food routes.
What makes this species remarkable?
Carpenter ants do not eat wood; they use cavities or excavate softened material as nest space.
The worker caste is continuously polymorphic rather than divided into only two fixed sizes.
Large majors have disproportionately broad heads that power strong mandibles.
Sources and scientific references
More photographs
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