Camponotus compressus - Indian Black Ant

The Indian Black Ant, also known as the Common Godzilla Ant (Camponotus compressus), is a ground-nesting species found in parks, gardens, plantations, and in and around human habitats in India and Southeast Asia. These ants have large, black, and opaque bodies, with reddish-brown legs and a prominent gaster. Major workers possess large mandibles and range in size from 11 to 16 mm in length, while minor workers have smaller heads and measure 6 to 8 mm. This ant is a General predator but also consumes plant-sap-sucking and is a frequent visitor to toilets as it consumes urea. They add nutrients to the soil through their discarded waste piles. These ants stroke their antenna on the hind parts of some specific insects stimulating them to excrete a sugar-rich liquid, called honeydew, which the ants consume. In return, they are known to protect the insects from predators like ladybugs. The current study evaluates the antibacterial activity of Camponotus compressus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) body crude extracts. The increasing antibiotic resistance of bacteria has prompted the world to turn its attention toward insects in the search for new sources of antibacterial compounds. These ants range from red to black and sometimes appear slightly yellow in colour. A large group of Camponotus compressus ants is nibbling sugar residue from a Sweet container at Tehatta, West Bengal; India on 04/11/2024.