Carpenter ant is one of the largest species that is found in almost all parts of the world. It is called “carpenter” ant because they prefer building their nests on dead, damp wood. Sometimes it also thrives on trees by hollowing its barks. The most common specie is the black carpenter ant which usually infests houses and buildings.

Mostly worker carpenter ants are black or combination of black and red in color. Their size is anywhere between 3/8 to ½ inch while a winged queen carpenter ant can be as big as one inch.

How to identify a carpenter ant?

Carpenter ants have only one node on its waist and their thorax has an evenly rounded upper surface. There may be other species while have only one node but always distinguish carpenter ants by looking at the rounded upper surface.

Do not mistake termites to be carpenter ants. These ants have dark colored bodies, narrow waist and bent elbow antennae. Their hind wings are shorter that the front wings. They are commonly found in the open.

Whereas termites are light-colored, have broad waist, if winged then both hind and front wings are of equal length and the antennae is straight. Plus they are rarely seen in the open or outside of their colony as they do not prefer light.

What does a carpenter ant eat?

Carpenter ants mostly feed on protein and sugar rich foods. Outdoor carpenter ant will usually feed on small insects (living or dead), and also honeydew (a sweet and sticky substance produced by other insects on surface of leaves).

Indoor carpenter ant feed on honey, sugar, meats, syrup, jelly and other sweets. Though carpenter ants have their nests on wood, they do not eat wood. They just create galleries and tunnels in them as their shelter.

Where do carpenter ants live?

They live on damp or moistened wood which may include rotting trees, tree stumps, logs or barks buried in the ground. They may also make their nests on decaying woods inside buildings or in damp areas such as sinks, behind bathroom tiles, around tubs, showers, attic beams and under roofing. They can also make their nests in hollow spaces like wall void, doors or curtain rods.

A carpenter ant nest can cause immense damage to the furniture and other items in your house. The longer the nest is present, the greater will be the damage. It can also weaken the structure of the wooden beams of the house. Therefore you should always look out for high moistened areas and replace any damaged wood.