Bug FAQTwo-spined trapjaw ant
Odontomachus haematodus · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Formicidae
The two-spined trapjaw ant, Odontomachus haematodus, nests mainly in rotting wood but can also be found inside certain plants such as Aechmea aquilega. It is native to South America and is a predator of Thoropa taophora tadpoles.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
It is commonly called the two-spined trapjaw ant.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It typically nests in decaying wood, and sometimes nests inside plants such as Aechmea aquilega.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It preys on the tadpoles of Thoropa taophora.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to South America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 6 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Where does this ant usually nest?
It usually nests in rotting wood, but can also nest inside plants like Aechmea aquilega.
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/Odontomachus_haematodus
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.