My favourite genus, these are all large [>4 mm to >20 mm] ants with handsome shapes and some interesting habits.
They are all recognizable by their smooth, slightly convex thoracic profile [see 1 in the key sketch above] –indeed, ‘camponotus’ means ‘flat back’.
Unfortunately the Camponotus taxonomy appears to be in a right old mess, which shows up rather well the stuffy old entomology prof who recently announced that you could not trust amateurs to identify ants ... seems you certainly can’t trust the professionals, either! Some species, such as C. maculatus, C. niveosetosus etc. may need to be split into more than one species, or at least into different sub-species. The genus includes some of the largest ants in the world, and the local species certainly include the largest major workers amongst all our ants.
The smaller species start with workers of about 4 mm that work up through plenty of intermediate sizes to majors of about 7 mm, while the larger species can have workers of 8 mm working up to majors of 20 mm, with whopping great queens longer than 25 mm. None of our Cape species run in trails and in most species the colonies are pretty small.
Camponotus niveosetosus (Mayr, 1862):
Hairy sugar ant
Amongst the smaller Camponotines, Camponotus niveosetosus (Hairy sugar ant) is probably the most widespread, occurring everywhere in the fynbos from west to east, with occasional forays into more arid areas.
They are generally dark grey to black with prominent stiff white bristles especially on thorax and gaster. There are two common sub-species of which one is shaggier than the other (subsp irredux) and may be a different species. C. niveosetosus nests underground but forages by day in plants and flowers seeking nectar. The ants are fast-moving and difficult to catch.
A survey of iSpot shows that this is the most commonly-reported ant in Southern Africa, reflecting the diversity of habitats in which it may be found. A unique characteristic of the species is that it not only nests underground, but also in restioid tussocks in marshy seeps, where it is an important distributor of the seeds of many rare plants, especially rare Proteaceae such as Orothamnus and some Mimetes species.
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| Unique tussock nest constructed by C niveosetosus from sand, in a wet, tussocky and generally marshy habitat. Note that this nest is made mainly from sand, not from chewed-and-glued vegetable detritus as are the carton nests of Crematogaster species. Great pic by Tony Rebelo, taken at Silvermine ten months after the Great Fire of 2015. |
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Camponotus werthi (Forel, 1908):
Black sugar ant
Camponotus werthi subsp. skaifei (Arnold, 1959):
Skaife’s black sugar ant
Very similar in appearance to the above is the Black sugar ant (Camponotus werthi), which is jet-black without the long white bristles of its cousin; it has much shorter bristles along the edges of its gaster segments, occasionally giving its gaster a banded appearance. It similarly seeks nectar in flowers and on plants, but is much less common, preferring mountain fynbos to the coastal areas. It nests in hollow stems and old burrows in wood and are not quite as brisk and hard to catch as C. niveosetosus. Named after a German explorer, Carl Werth made the first collection of the species on Kerguelen Island. However, as he collected them in his house there, and they have never been found there again, it seems more than likely that they travelled to Kerguelen with Werth from the Cape!
In 1959 Arnold recognized the Cape Peninsula sub-species, C. werthi subsp. skaifei, named in honour of the Cape’s famous entomologist Dr Sydney Skaife. Skaife’s ant is slightly smaller and the major workers have ‘fatter’ or more rounded heads. Our illustration is of Skaife’s ant but serves to ID both sub-species.
You can see some good photos of this species at these links:
| www.ispotnature.org/node/617188 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/719511 |
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Camponotus bertolonii (Emery, 1895):
Brown sugar ant
Another species which is similar in size to the above is Camponotus bertolonii (Carpenter sugar ants). These handsome ants are a rich chocolate brown with paler legs and have quite different habits to the above. They are strictly nocturnal and always nest in old wood, sticks and logs. Sadly, many are killed by careless campers who collect kindling in the veld and ignore the frantic ants attempting to escape from their fireplaces.
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Camponotus vestitus (F. Smith, 1858):
Shimmering sugar ant
Another interesting Camponotine similar in size to the above is the Shimmering sugar ant (Camponotus vestitus). This uncommon but widespread species [there are several sub-species] appears to prefer granitic soils, but its most astonishing feature is that it appears to mimic the Large pugnacious ant (Anoplolepis custodiens) (or maybe it should be the other way round!) Both species – about as closely related as baboons are to chimpanzees – have a distinct and very similar pattern of refractive hairs on their gasters, giving them a checkered appearance. The sugar ant lives in comparatively tiny colonies, however, and is nowhere as common as its pugnacious distant cousin. If you're in doubt, stick your finger among them. If they run away or avoid you they are sugar ants. If not, you will instantly know.
Left: Anoplolepis custodiens, the real thing ...
You can see some good photos of C. vestitus at these links:
| www.ispotnature.org/node/527539 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/562618 |
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Camponotus havilandi (Arnold, 1922):
Blackhead yellow sugar ant
The Blackhead yellow sugar ant (Camponotus havilandi) is an unusual species that appears to prefer shaley or clay soils to nest in. The ants contruct a sort of small clay ‘tower’ around their nest entrance. Smaller than most Camponotine ants [5–8 mm], they have blackish heads on yellow-red bodies, with elongated gasters that at first sight appear to be swollen with nectar.
You can see some good photos of this species at this link:
| www.ispotnature.org/node/523736 |
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Camponotus fulvopilosus (De Geer, 1778):
Tawny balbyter
There can be few residents, travellers, picnickers, campers etc. in our more arid areas who are not familiar with the infamous Balbyters. The major workers of these sugar ants are amongst the largest of our ants, up to 18 mm long, and always easily recognised by their gasters thickly clad in tawny yellow hairs. Camponotus fulvopilosus is their scientific name; the specific name means ‘tawny’ or ‘dark yellow’ + ‘hair’. The ants often have one or two bald patches on the first or second gastral segment, revealing that the gaster colour is jet black.
The ants are active during the day, and have a remarkable ability to see human beings – or at least to detect our movements, without having our shadow pass over them. The minor workers are about 10 mm long and are often more common than the majors; intermediates or mediae of about 12.5 mmm are also common. The ants move very rapidly, with rather jerky movements, and hold their gasters up sometimes almost vertically when they run, giving them a somewhat spidery appearance – they might do this to keep their bellies cool.
You can see some good photos of this species at these links:
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Technomyrmex albipes : White-footed ants : unknown
Anoplolepis gracilipes : Yellow Crazy ants : unknown
There are three species closely related to C . fulvopilosus and that are somewhat similar in appearance:
C. brevisetosus : granite outcrops on the Drakensberg escarpment;
C. detritus : Namib dunes; see photos at
| www.ispotnature.org/node/533736 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/471039 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/624487 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/665111 |
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| www.ispotnature.org/node/679716 |
C. storeatus : widespread, but the only one of these that qualifies as a Western Cape ant. See good photos of this at:
| www.ispotnature.org/node/493730 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/521716 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/535072 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/539809 |
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| www.ispotnature.org/node/611551 |
Camponotus storeatus
[Blonde balbyter sugar ant]
This species occurs down the Breede River Valley, around McGregor, Montagu, Barrydale, etc, but is also found in most drier areas of the Western Cape. As the common name implies the dense hairs on the gaster are paler than those of C. fulvopilosus, and the rest of the ant is a dark red rather than red-black. In every other way, however, they are similar to C. fulvopilosus and are the same size.
Whether the popular name ‘balbyter’ is justified or not is outside my own experience. I have always used this name for Anoplolepis, which is fond of nesting in and around termite mounds. When you sit down on the mounds, especially in short pants, Anoplolepis make their presence felt all right. No sense of common decency at all.
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Technomyrmex albipes : White-footed ants : unknown
Anoplolepis gracilipes : Yellow Crazy ants : unknown
Spotted sugar ants (Camponotus maculatus)
Spotted sugar ants (Camponotus maculatus) are widespread throughout South Africa (and indeed further afield). That said, it appears that the species is in a considerable taxonomic mess, with any number of sub-species and varieties accorded to various colour variations and even variations in size. For the moment it seems best to consider them all as one, with paler to darker variants. The ants can be coloured from pale yellow to dark reddish brown, and older individuals are often darker.
There are usually from 2 to 4 distinct patches of a different colour on the gaster, hence the common name. All the variants are nocturnal wanderers who do not run in trails, and the workers can be any size from 8 mm to a whopping 20+ mm. They are rather timid ants but when faced with danger they readily squirt formic acid at their foes.They nest in the ground, under flat stones and rocks, in smallish colonies of a few hundred individuals; the nests can tunnel underground for nearly a metre sometimes. They seem to occur in all Cape habitats except areas invaded by Argentine ants, who always destroy these gentle giants.
These ants are easy to keep in captivity and their size makes them easy to study. They are relatively calm by nature – but they must always be carefully shielded from Argentines. If the nest is disturbed you’ll notice that some of the individuals appear to be asleep; their more active sisters stimulate them with quick, jerky movements to open their jaws, then pick them up. The inactive ant curls itself up under its sister’s head in a sort of foetal position, and is carried away.
You can see some good photos of this species at these links:
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Technomyrmex albipes : White-footed ants : unknown
Anoplolepis gracilipes : Yellow Crazy ants : unknown
Bayne’s sugar ant (Camponotus baynei)
Handsome ants, closely related to C. maculatus above, they are slightly smaller (majors up to about 14mm, minors about 7mm), but are dark brown to black with copper highlights, and lack the abdominal spots of the larger ant. They live in small colonies in mountain fynbos and on the flats; named after Lockie-Bayne, who collected ants in the Hermanus area in 1917.
You can see some good photos of this species at these links:
| www.ispotnature.org/node/480292 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/502952 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/507370 |
Survive invasive species:
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : No
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Technomyrmex albipes : White-footed ants : unknown
Anoplolepis gracilipes : Yellow Crazy ants : unknown
Velvet sugar ants (Camponotus rufoglaucus)
Another handsome species, from a wide range of countries around the world (in various subspecies, of course). The first of the species to be described hailed from India and are described as ‘blood red’ in colour, hence the ‘rufo-’ in the name. The Western Cape subspecies is dark red to almost black, and the velvety finely-haired gaster is almost smooth black in some colonies. They seem to prefer forested environments; our specimens come from Tzitzikamma where they were seeking nectar from wild dagga plants [Leonotis leonorus] during the late afternoon. The prominent white bristles on the gaster are reminiscent of the much-smaller Camponotus niveosetosus. Camponotus arminius, the St Lucia sugar ant that does not occur in the Western Cape, is very similar in appearance to C. rufoglaucus but has much shorter white bristles on the gaster, with darker ‘bands’; this gives the St Lucia species [which is also common in Mozambique] an almost dusty appearance.
You can see some good photos of this species [minors only] at these links:
| www.ispotnature.org/node/584607 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/637446 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/553574 |
| www.ispotnature.org/node/637444 |
Linepithema humile : Argentine ants : Probably not
Pheidole megacephala : House ants : unknown
Lepisiota sp. : Small Black ants : unknown
Technomyrmex albipes : White-footed ants : unknown
Anoplolepis gracilipes : Yellow Crazy ants : unknown
The following species are some of those that have yet to be illustrated on this site. Photographs are available of some species: see links below. More to come – watch this space.
Camponotus angusticeps Emery, 1886
Camponotus bianconii Emery, 1895
Camponotus bifossus Santschi, 1917
Camponotus cuneiscapus Forel, 1910
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Camponotus empedocles Emery, 1920
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Camponotus emarginatus
Camponotus hova Forel, 1891
Camponotus klugii Emery, 1895
Camponotus knysnae Arnold, 1922
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Camponotus olivieri Forel, 1886
Camponotus orites Santschi, 1919
Camponotus sellidorsatus Prins, 1973
Camponotus simulans Forel, 1910
Camponotus thraso Forel, 1893
Camponotus victoriae Arnold, 1959
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