Carpenter Ant

Health Risk Low

Damage Risk High

Nuisance High

Actual Size: ⅝”

Characteristics: Large; red, black, or a combination of both.

Legs: 6

Antennae: Yes

Wings: Carpenter ant swarmers have two sets of wings.

Habitat: Prefer damp, moist wood, constructing their nests in hollow trees, logs, posts, landscaping timbers, and wood used in homes and other structures.

Habits:

Carpenter ants are wood-destroying insects that are commonly mistaken for termites.

Establish nests outside and inside of structures and are drawn to moisture.

Heavy carpenter ant activity in the home can indicate a moisture issue within the structure.

Carpenter Ants in Florida

Carpenter ants are known for their habit of excavating their nests in wood. Their name is crafted after this behavior of creating smooth galleries and tunnels with their wood-boring tendencies. Since they chew through wood, they are often mistaken for termites. While termites ingest the wood, carpenter ants bore through it to hollow it out for nesting purposes. If left unaddressed, carpenter ants can seriously damage the wood and reduce what was once a solid structure into a hollow shell. The diet of a carpenter ant includes a variety of foods, particularly the sugary honey from plant-sucking insects.

Carpenter Ant Habitat

Carpenter ants can build a nest in numerous locations either inside or outside of a home or structure. They are drawn to moisture so these nests are generally near damp, decaying wood. When infesting a building or home, the parent nest is often outside in a stack of firewood, stump, or tree. When wood in a structure has been dampened by water, carpenter ants will typically nest in the moist attic rafters, wall voids, roof overhangs, hollow doors of columns, crawlspaces, or behind dishwashers. An infestation in your home or business almost certainly indicates a moisture issue.

Carpenter Ant Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

The behavior of carpenter ants is considered a a serious threat to homeowners. While they are not dangerous on their own through a bite or via bacteria transfer, they are regarded as a threat to the structural integrity of a building. Having a weakened or destroyed structure can potentially lead to catastrophic collapsing events. Should you notice carpenter ants swarming in the spring, there is almost certainly a colony nesting nearby. Other signs of carpenter ants include noticing small piles of sawdust or hearing rustling noises in walls. Although carpenter ants are not considered as dangerous as termites, they are still capable of destroying homes and the wooden objects inside. Any sign of a carpenter ant infestation should be inspected by a professional ant exterminator.