Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are one of the most common wood-destroying insects found in and around the home. They are attracted to wood which has been exposed to moisture. Carpenter ants tunnel and make nests in soft wood; however, they do not eat the wood. The largest of the ant family, the carpenter ant ranges from 1/4 to 3/4 inches, has a constricted waist, bent antennae and is black, reddish-black or brownish black in color. Winged carpenter ants can be distinguished from termites by their larger size and shape of their antennae, waist and wings.

Any wooden areas (porch, tree, veranda, step, door, etc.) which become moist are vulnerable to carpenter ant attack. This is particularly true of rotting sections of wood. The worker ant finds an entry route by gnawing a clean tunnel parallel to the wood grain wherever a crack or crevice exists. The wood is chewed and discarded outside the tunnel. The discarded shavings, which resemble sawdust, provide an indication of nesting areas. Often, the nest is extended into sound wood. Besides being objectionable by their presence, carpenter ants damage wood by hollowing it out for nesting. They excavate galleries in wood which have a smooth, sandpapered appearance. Wood which has been damaged by carpenter ants contains no mud-like material, as is the case with termites.