While ants are often considered merely nuisance pests, carpenter ants, Camponotus spp., are a different story. These large ants, ranging from 6 to 12 millimeters in length, are highly destructive because they make their nests inside wood. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood but rather excavate it to form tunnels and galleries for their nests.
When carpenter ants invade premises, they can cause significant structural damage, leading to costly repairs and long-term issues when left unnoticed.
Carpenter ants have unique characteristics that make them easier to identify than other types of ants. They are typically black or dark reddish-brown in colour. These ants also have a narrow, one-node waist and a smooth thorax, which helps them stand out from other ants.
Known for their strong mandibles, carpenter ants use these jaws to chew through wood, creating smooth tunnels that weaken the structure of buildings over time.
Unlike other ants that might only make brief appearances in search of food, carpenter ants are drawn indoors because they often look for a new nest site. Once they’ve located an ideal spot, they establish colonies that can grow to thousands of ants over time.
Carpenter ants are usually larger than most other ants, measuring between 6 and 12 millimeters in length. They are typically black or dark brown, although some may have a reddish hue.
Carpenter ants are more active at night when they forage for food. Their diet consists of sugary liquids, sweets, dead insects, and food scraps.
Carpenter ants tend to establish large colonies and satellite nests in various locations. Though it’s not always easy, carpenter ants’ ability to rapidly reproduce means it’s best to prevent the ants from entering your home in the first place.
The carpenter ants’ main colony usually resides outdoors, often in rotting wood. From here, they can create satellite nests indoors, especially if they find wood that’s easy to excavate or if there are moisture issues. This nesting pattern can make it challenging to control carpenter ants without professional help, as treating only one nest site often leaves the others intact.
In addition to their wood-destroying habits, carpenter ants may also contaminate food by carrying microorganisms from an unsanitary area to another. And although they don’t pose health risks through bites or stings, their tunneling weakens structural components, posing a significant risk to buildings over time.
When carpenter ants damage walls, floors, and beams, they leave behind trails of wood shavings as they expand their nests. This frass is one of the few visible signs of their destructive presence.
Seeing a single carpenter ant in your premise doesn’t necessarily mean you have an infestation, as these ants can sometimes enter homes simply while foraging for food. However, frequent sightings of multiple ants, particularly in areas with wood shavings or moisture, are a strong indicator of an infestation.
If you notice winged ants in the spring or early summer, this can indicate that a colony is established nearby, as these reproductive swarmers leave the nest to create new colonies.
Additionally, if you see any indoor activity during the winter months, it indicates an infestation.