Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are large ants indigenous to many forested parts of the world. They build nests inside wood consisting of galleries chewed out with their mandibles, preferably in dead, damp wood. They do not consume the wood, however, unlike termites. Sometimes, carpenter ants hollow out sections of trees. They also commonly infest wooden buildings and structures, and are a widespread nuisance and major cause of structural damage. However, their ability to excavate wood helps in forest decomposition. One of the most familiar species associated with human habitation in the United States is the black carpenter ant. The genus includes over 1,000 species.

Carpenter ants pose additional concern to homeowners because these ants can be structurally damaging. They do not actually ‘build’ like carpenters but they will excavate wood and can be damaging over time if not managed. Carpenter ants like many ants feed on honeydew producing insects such as aphids. These ants will forage outside the structure and will find avenues to nesting sites within structures such as under insulation, in voids, in crawlspaces, or in attics. These ants do not feed on wood but will excavate space for nesting sites and trails to foraging arenas. A mature carpenter ant colony often includes a parent nest with the queen and brood plus satellite nest(s) with mature brood, workers, and often winged forms in preparation for the next mating flight. Parent nests are often located outside the structure and satellite nests are located within structures. There are a number of species of carpenter ants found in North America. These will vary in color but all have the same nesting behavior of excavating wood. Carpenter ants also have a variety of sizes within one colony but can be recognized in profile by the smooth thoracic dorsum.