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Pest Library
Size: |
Worker size varies between 1/8-1/2 in (3.5-13 mm) long;
queen may be up to 5/8 in (17 mm) long. |
Color: |
The common western species is dull black with reddish legs and golden
hairs covering the abdomen. Other species are black, a combination
of red and black or completely red or brown. |
Geographic Range: |
Throughout the United States. The black carpenter ant is common
in the east; the western carpenter ant in the west. |
Habitat: |
Carpenter ants hollow out spaces in wood to use as nests. Most species
nest first in decayed wood and then enlarge the nest into sound wood.
Indoors: nests are in wood (perhaps softened by fungus rot), insulation,
wall voids. Outdoors: nests are in old firewood, rotting fence posts,
stumps, dead portions of living trees, under stones and logs. A colony
has a main nest connected to satellite nests by a cleared trail about
1/4 inch wide. |
Food: |
Outdoors: plant juices, insects, honeydew from insects, spiders.
Indoors: sweets, grease, meat, eggs. Carpenter ants follow a regular
trail when foraging. |
Biology: |
A mature colony of western carpenter ants may have 10,000-20,000
workers or up to 100,000. Swarmers aren't produced until the colony
matures. In the West, swarmers may appear between February and June.
There is usually just one functional, wingless queen per colony. Development
from egg to adult takes at least 60 days. |
Invasion: |
Carpenter ants enter near doors and windows, pipes, utility wires
and branches of trees or shrubs. |
Damage: |
The hollowing of wood for nests can weaken a structure. Also, bites
can be painful. |
Detection: |
- Look for piles of sawdust-like shavings, sometimes with bits
of insulation and insect parts.
- Listen for rustling sounds from within the walls. (A listening
device is useful.)
- Watch for foraging trails outside, especially between 10 am
and 2 pm.
- Be alert to the emergence of swarmers.
- With a tool gently tap exposed wood and rafters, listening for
a hollow sound which might indicate a nest cavity. A knife blade
will easily sink into the wood if a nest is present.
- Check attics, basements, and crawl spaces. Check wires and pipes.
Locate high moisture areas. (A moisture meter can be useful.)
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