Camponotus pennsylvanicus
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The black carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus) is one of the largest and most common species of carpenter ant native to the central and eastern United States as well as eastern Canada. C. pennsylvanicus can be distinguished from other carpenter ant species by the dull black color of the head and body, and by whitish or yellowish hairs on the abdomen. All castes of this species (including the major and minor workers, queens and males) are black or blackish. Black carpenter ants are polymorphic, i.e., workers can be different sizes, in some instances substantially. The queens can reach a length of 19–21 mm and the largest workers (super majors) can achieve similar sizes of around 14–17 mm. They, along with several other Camponotus species, are among the largest species of ant in North America. As with all ants, the antennae are geniculate (elbowed). Workers usually have 12 antenna segments. Alates typically have yellowish wings.
Black carpenter ants are known to forage up to 100 yd (91 m) in search of food, establishing chemical (pheromone) trails as they forage. They locate food through their sense of smell. Nests can contain thousands of individuals... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Voyageurs National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 10 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Black Carpenter Ant sighting in Voyageurs National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 16th most-seen of the 20 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Black Carpenter Ant in Voyageurs National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May and September, the lowest months. That is one of Voyageurs National Park's wettest months, with about 100 mm of rain against 25 mm in January. November to April have too few records to rate.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Black Carpenter Ant sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Eastern Black Carpenter Ant sightings, Voyageurs National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 20%) and Congaree National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eastern Black Carpenter Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Voyageurs National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
