Camponotus herculeanus

This very common species normally nests in rotten logs and stumps, but nests are occasionally found under stones, especially incipient nests (as known from North America).

Identification
This is a common dark brown or black ant with a dark red petiole, antennae, legs, and base of first gastral segment. The scapes of the majors barely reach, or only slightly surpass the posterior lateral corners. Erect hairs are moderately abundant, being found specifically on the clypeus (along margins), on the dorsal surface of the head, ventral surface of the head, dorsal surface of the mesosoma, petiole and gaster, they are absent on the cheeks, scapes (except at apex) and tibiae (except for a double row on the flexor surface); appressed pubescence is sparse, and is limited to a few tiny hairs on the head, dorsum of the mesosoma, and dorsal surface of the gaster. The minors are similar except for size, having an oval shaped head, and the scapes extend well past the posterior lateral corners. The females are large, mostly black specimens. The scape extends more than 2 funicular segments past the posterior lateral corners. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Bicoloured with alitrunk dull red to reddish black, head and gaster dull black. Frons has deep close set punctures. Long pubescence on dorsum of first gaster tergite overlapping posterior border. Length: 5-12 mm (Collingwood 1979).

Distribution
Throughout mountain Europe and extending through Northern Eurasia from Norway to Eastern Siberia to the northernmost tree frontier in Arctic Norway (Collingwood 1979). Also northern North America.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: Alberta, Canada, Canada, United States. Palaearctic Region: Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine.

Europe
Collingwood (1979) - This species is a typical denizen of shaded coniferous forest nesting in rotten stumps and occasionally mining in living trees. Fertilised females found nests singly. Alatae are developed in the late summer but overwinter to swarm in June.

New Mexico
Mackay and Mackay (2002) - This very common species normally nests in rotten logs and stumps, but nests are occasionally found under stones, especially incipient nests. This species may form a plesiobiotic relationship with Formica neorufibarbis. Foragers tend several species of aphids on many different plant species. Reproductives and brood were present in the nests from June to August, reproductives until September. Foundress females were found from late June to October.

Nomenclature

 *  herculeanus. Formica herculeana Linnaeus, 1758: 579 (q.) EUROPE. Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835: 209 (w.q.m.); Mayr, 1855: 308 (w.q.m.); Wheeler, G.C. & Wheeler, J. 1953e: 185 (l.). Combination in Camponotus: Mayr, 1861: 36; in C. (Camponotus): Forel, 1914a: 259. Senior synonym of atra, intermedia: Nylander, 1846a: 894; of castanea: Mayr, 1863: 399; of whymperi: Creighton, 1950a: 367; of nadigi: Yasumatsu & Brown, 1951: 30; of montanus, shitkowi: Emery, 1925b: 72; Karavaiev, 1936: 178; Arnol'di, 1967: 1819; of caucasicus: Arakelian, 1994: 85; of eudokiae: Radchenko, 1997a: 555. See also: Tarbinsky, 1976: 148; Kutter, 1977c: 204; Collingwood, 1979: 90; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1426; Atanassov & Dlussky, 1992: 210.
 * castanea. Formica castanea Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835: 215 (w.q.m.) U.S.A. [Unresolved junior primary homonym of castanea Latreille, above.] Junior synonym of herculeanus: Mayr, 1863: 399.
 * atra. Formica atra Zetterstedt, 1838: 450 (m.) SWEDEN. Junior synonym of herculeanus: Nylander, 1846a: 894.
 * intermedia. Formica intermedia Zetterstedt, 1838: 448 (w.) SWEDEN. Junior synonym of herculeanus: Nylander, 1846a: 894.
 * whymperi. Camponotus herculeanus var. whymperi Forel, 1902i: 699 (w.q.) CANADA. Wheeler, W.M. 1910d: 330 (s.m.). Raised to species: Ruzsky, 1926: 108. Subspecies of herculeanus: Ruzsky, 1936: 90. Junior synonym of herculeanus: Creighton, 1950a: 367.
 * montanus. Camponotus herculeanus var. montanus Ruzsky, 1904a: 293 (w.) RUSSIA. Karavaiev, 1926e: 192 (s.w.q.). [Unresolved junior primary homonym of montanus Emery, above.] Subspecies of herculeanus: Ruzsky, 1926: 108. Junior synonym of herculeanus: Emery, 1925b: 72; Karavaiev, 1936: 178.
 * shitkowi. Camponotus herculeanus var. shitkowi Ruzsky, 1904a: 292 (w.q.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of herculeanus: Emery, 1925b: 72; Karavaiev, 1936: 178; Arnol'di, 1967: 1819.
 * nadigi. Camponotus herculeanus var. nadigi Menozzi, 1922c: 142 (s.w.q.m.) ITALY. Material of the nomen nudum vagusherculeanus referred here by Emery, 1925b: 72; Kutter, 1977c: 205. Junior synonym of herculeanus: Yasumatsu & Brown, 1951: 30; Baroni Urbani, 1971c: 176.
 * eudokiae. Camponotus herculeanus var. eudokiae Ruzsky, 1926: 108 (w.) RUSSIA. Junior synonym of herculeanus: Radchenko, 1997a: 555.
 * caucasicus. Camponotus herculeanus subsp. caucasicus Arnol'di, 1967: 1822 (s.w.q.m.) CAUCASUS. Junior synonym of herculeanus: Arakelian, 1994: 85.

Worker
Wheeler (1910) - Major and minor. Differing from Camponotus whymperi (now a synonym of herculeanus) in sculpture, pilosity and color. The shagreening of the head is coarser, so that it is even more opaque, especially on the sides and posterior corners. The punctures of the gaster are larger and the whole surface rougher and more opaque. Hairs and pubescence golden yellow, the former much as in whymperi, except that they are shorter and more appressed on the scapes and tibie. The pubescence is much longer and more conspicuous. especially on the upper surface of the gaster, but decidedly shorter than in Camponotus pennsylvanicus. Head, thorax, petiole and gaster black; legs deep red. Coxae dark brown; antennae varying from black to dark brown, the funiculus usually somewhat paler than the scape. In the worker media and minor, the mandibles may be tinged with red.

Queen
Wheeler (1910) - Closely resembling the, worker major in sculpture, color and pilosity. The thorax differs from that of the female whymperi in being opaque and densely shagreened, except the scutellum and metanotum, which are smooth and shining. In some specimens, the mesonotum is subopaque, but not as smooth as in whymperi.