Workers are relatively slender and polymorphic, from small minors to larger majors.
Fine-art photographic collection
Camponotus fragilis
A slender desert carpenter ant active when the ground begins to cool.
About this species
Fragile carpenter ant
Camponotus fragilisPergande, 1893
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Camponotus fragilis is a slender carpenter ant of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Colonies nest in soil in dry habitats, and workers forage for plant-associated sugars and animal food during cooler periods.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Formicidae · Formicinae · Camponotini · Camponotus
Source checked · checked 2026-07-15
Southwestern North AmericaBroad documented localities — not a complete range map.
Southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Desert, thorn scrub, dry grassland and arid urban landscapes.
Predominantly nocturnal or crepuscular in the hottest parts of its range.
Honeydew, nectar-like secretions, carrion and small arthropods.
Soil-nesting colonies with several worker sizes and chambers below the hottest surface layer.
What makes this species remarkable?
Long legs and a slender build aid rapid movement over hot open ground.
Night activity reduces both heat stress and water loss.
The species often visits sap-feeding insects for carbohydrate-rich honeydew.
Sources and scientific references
More photographs
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