European Gate-keeper Ant

Colobopsis truncata · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae

No source yet on danger. We have no source yet on whether it bites, stings or damages anything.
European Gate-keeper Ant
Photo: Jonghyun Park, CC BY

European Gate-keeper Ant workers are on average smaller than those of the similar species Colobopsis imitans (size data show negative values for C. truncata). They live in trees, nesting and foraging arboreally, and are considered a subordinate ant species. The species occurs naturally in parts of Europe and Asia.

Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize it

It can be easily mistaken for the truncata-like colour morph of Colobopsis imitans.

Source: Wikipedia

Size

Worker size measurements are negative for C. truncata, whereas they are positive for C. imitans, indicating C. truncata workers are smaller.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it lives

This ant is arboreal, preferring to nest and forage in trees. It is a subordinate species within its ant community.

Source: Wikipedia

Where it comes from

Colobopsis truncata is native to parts of Europe and Asia.

Source: Wikipedia

Lookalikes

It is often confused with the truncata-like colour morph of Colobopsis imitans.

Source: Wikipedia

More photos

European Gate-keeper Ant photo 3
Photo: Dimitǎr Boevski, CC BY

Questions people ask

How can I tell European Gate-keeper Ant apart from similar ants?

Check the worker size (C. truncata workers are smaller) and use the discriminant formula DColo to separate it from the similar colour morph of C. imitans.

Source: Wikipedia

Where does this ant live?

It lives in trees, nesting and foraging arboreally, and is a subordinate species in its habitat.

Source: Wikipedia

What region is it native to?

It is found naturally in parts of Europe and Asia.

Source: Wikipedia

Same family (Formicidae)

Eastern Black Carpenter AntEastern Black Carpenter AntCamponotus pennsylvanicusCan damage your homeRed Imported Fire AntRed Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invictaCan stingAmerican Winter AntAmerican Winter AntPrenolepis imparisArgentine AntArgentine AntLinepithema humileNuisance, not dangerousImmigrant Pavement AntImmigrant Pavement AntTetramorium immigransCan stingOdorous House AntOdorous House AntTapinoma sessileCan damage your home

Sources

  • Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colobopsis_truncata

Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · Wikipedia

Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.

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