Medium to large polymorphic workers.
Fine-art photographic collection
Camponotus pilicornis
A western Mediterranean ant recognised by its conspicuous body hairs.
About this species
Hairy-horned carpenter ant
Camponotus pilicornis(Roger, 1859)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Camponotus pilicornis is a western Mediterranean carpenter ant associated with the Iberian Peninsula and northwestern Africa. Its colonies occupy protected ground or wood-associated sites and forage for honeydew and animal food.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Formicidae · Formicinae · Camponotini · Camponotus
Source checked · checked 2026-07-15
Iberia and northwestern AfricaBroad documented localities — not a complete range map.
Iberian Peninsula and northwestern Africa.
Mediterranean woodland, scrub, rocky terrain and rural landscapes.
Forages on the ground and vegetation during suitable temperatures.
Honeydew, plant exudates, carrion and arthropods.
Colonies contain strongly size-variable workers and use sheltered nesting cavities.
What makes this species remarkable?
The name pilicornis refers to conspicuous hair on the antennae or body.
Its distribution spans both sides of the western Mediterranean.
Worker polymorphism creates a flexible workforce without sharply separate castes.
Sources and scientific references
More photographs
11