Carpenter Ant Identification & Control

Why do I have carpenter ants?

Carpenter ants nest in moist or damaged wood such as voids in decks, voids in porches, around windows and doors, in roof boards, wall voids, under insulation, under ceiling beams, fence posts and railings, crawl spaces, attics, and in other areas exposed to the weather, but occasionally they will also nest in sound dry wood. These pests seek protection from predators and the weather, as well as easy access to sources of food.

These pests feed on a wide variety of foods, including other insects, both alive and dead, as well as plant nectars and juices, honeydew, syrup, jelly, sugar, salt, fruits, meat, grease, and fat. In homes, they are attracted to meats, sugar, honey, jelly, grease spills and pet food.

They usually enter homes and other buildings through cracks and other openings in the foundation or along tree branches abutting the roof.

How worried should I be about carpenter ants?

Renowned excavators, carpenter ants, use their powerful jaws to chisel and remove wood debris when tunnelling or building nests. Extensive chewing through wood in various areas of the home can damage and compromise its structural integrity, resulting in costly repairs or renovations.

Outdoors, they nest in dead tree limbs or fence posts and railings, which weaken them; during strong winds or heavy snowfalls, these structures can break off, posing safety risks or causing other property damage, including liabilities.

While carpenter ants rarely bite humans, their mandibles can tear through human skin, spraying formic acid in the process, causing a burning sensation. Reaction to carpenter ant bites varies from individual to individual; in most cases is mild.

Although carpenter ants can take time to do significant damage, you only need to spot a few large ants to be sure there is an established colony somewhere in your home. To properly eliminate this infestation and keep ants away, professional pest control services from a licensed ant exterminator are recommended.

How can I prevent carpenter ants from invading?

Moisture and dead wood are key attracting and conducive factors for carpenter ants. Eliminate wood debris from around the house. Stack firewood or wood piles off the ground, away from the house; cover them with plastic sheets to prevent them from getting wet. Inspect wood piles or firewood for carpenter ants before bringing them indoors. Trim back surrounding trees and shrubbery that touch the house exterior. Inspect and clean gutters and downspouts regularly to prevent clogging and rain overflow, which cause leaks and water damage to the eaves and roofing. Fix leaky plumbing to prevent water damage to adjacent wood structures. Clean up crumbs and food spills immediately.

Learn more about ways to control carpenter ants.

A single carpenter ant infestation within a structure can have multiple satellite nests within the structure itself. Finding and eliminating all the nests can be challenging. If you cannot manage it, don’t hesitate to contact your local Orkin Pro for professional ant control for your home or business.

How do carpenter ant colonies develop?

Nest building and colony formation begin after a reproductive female mates with a male. A fertilized winged female lands, sheds her wings and finds a suitable nesting location, which is usually in moist decaying wood of hollow trees or logs, including moisture-compromised human-made wood structures.

Once a suitable nest location is found, the queen lays the first batch of eggs (15 to 20). She feeds and tends to the larvae, which eventually develop into sterile workers that take over all nest-building duties. While workers forage for food, excavate, clean the nest, and care for the broods, the queen concentrates on egg production. Egg production usually doubles following the first brood.

Once the nest is mature, the carpenter ant queen lays eggs that develop into reproductively capable males and females. A nest often takes several years to mature and usually needs about 3,000 workers before the queen begins a new reproduction cycle.

What does a carpenter ant queen look like?

The carpenter ant queen is a fertilized, functional female of the colony. She is wingless, about 13 to 25 mm long depending on species, and her colour varies by species, often ranging from dark brown and reddish to yellowish brown or black. Similar in appearance to worker ants, the queen’s body is divided into a head, thorax, and abdomen, or gaster. 

The queen is solely responsible for producing offspring and maintaining the colony. Most carpenter ant species have one functional queen per colony; however, some species have multiple queens.

Do carpenter ants fly?

Like other ant species found in Canada, carpenter ants are social insects that live in large colonies formed of three castes: workers, males and queens.

The most common carpenter ants encountered in the home are the workers, which are wingless foragers. Worker ants cannot fly. As the name suggests, worker ants exist to work. They build and repair the nest, feed and defend the colony, and care for the queen and her brood.

Carpenter ant queens form the highest caste. The founding functional queen is wingless and cannot fly. Carpenter ant colonies also produce winged male and female reproductives that emerge and swarm in spring or early summer. They mate during these nuptial flights. Mated females land, shed their wings and locate a suitable site to start new colonies, while the males die.

What do carpenter ants eat?

Carpenter ants are opportunistic feeders, feeding on a wide range of items. As predators, they will feed on other insects, both alive and dead. Omnivorous, their diet includes a range of plant nectars and juices, honeydew, syrup, jelly, sugar, salt, fruits, meat, grease, and fat. These are guests you don’t want to invite to your barbecue.

The common name “carpenter ant” refers to the insect’s wood-excavating ability rather than its diet. When carpenter ants excavate tunnels from wooden structures, they chew the wood and discard the shavings, which pile up like sawdust beneath the entrance hole of the nest. 

In the natural environment outdoors, carpenter ants eat small insects and other invertebrates, plant juices, and honeydew secreted by aphids. Worker ants forage up to 100 yards from the nest and use pheromones to mark their trails, which often lead them into Canadian homes. 

Carpenter ants enter homes and other buildings through cracks and other openings in the foundation or via tree branches abutting the roof. Once inside, foraging ants search for and take from a variety of food sources. Because carpenter ants feed on proteins as well as carbohydrates, they raid kitchens for meats, sugar, and syrupy ingredients like honey and jelly. Carpenter ants are also drawn to the grease spills and pet food commonly found in many homes throughout Canada.

Do carpenter ants bite humans?

Carpenter ants do not have stingers and therefore do not sting people. However, they use their formidable mandibles to defend their nests when attacked.

Carpenter ants rarely bite humans, but their powerful jaws can tear skin. When they bite, they spray formic acid, which causes a burning sensation. Reactions vary from person to person; in most cases, they are mild. Although rare, documented cases of carpenter ant bites do exist.

When should I call an ant exterminator?

If you see carpenter ants indoors, notice wood shavings near walls or windows, or suspect an established nest, it is time to contact a professional ant exterminator. Carpenter ants can cause structural damage over time, and an Orkin Pro can help you locate the nest and prevent ongoing activity.