Bug FAQHyatt's Carpenter Ant
Camponotus hyatti · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae
Hyatt's carpenter ant has five-toothed mandibles, a smooth shiny clypeus, and a pronounced metanotal groove that makes the propodeum’s basal surface convex.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The ant’s five-toothed mandibles, glossy clypeus, and distinct metanotal groove give the propodeum a convex look.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It typically nests in plants such as sagebrush, yucca, manzanita, and oak.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 10 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Washington, New Mexico, Oregon.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
What plants does Hyatt's carpenter ant nest in?
It nests in sagebrush, yucca, manzanita, and oak.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Formicidae)
Eastern Black Carpenter AntCamponotus pennsylvanicusCan damage your home
Red Imported Fire AntSolenopsis invictaCan sting
American Winter AntPrenolepis imparis
Argentine AntLinepithema humileNuisance, not dangerous
Immigrant Pavement AntTetramorium immigransCan sting
Odorous House AntTapinoma sessileCan damage your homeSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camponotus_hyatti
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-24.