Description
Carpenter
ants are among the
largest species that
you will find in
North Carolina. Like
other ant species,
carpenter ants are
social, i.e, they
live in a colony and
have several
"castes" or adult
forms that perform
different jobs in
the colony. The
queen usually
reaches
9/16
inch in length. The
workers range in
size from
1/4
to
7/16
inch. So, if you see
different sized
ants, they could all
be from the same
colony. All of these
ants are adults
regardless of their
size, so they do not
grow. Only the queen
produces offspring
in the nest.
Immature ants
(larvae) are white,
legless, and
maggot-looking in
appearance. They
remain in the nest
and are fed by the
workers. The larvae
develop into pupae,
which are tan and
capsule-shaped.
Eventually, new
adults emerge from
these pupae. Adult
ants will vary in
color depending upon
the species. The
black carpenter ant,
the species that
most commonly nests
in homes, is
primarily black in
color. Other
carpenter ant
species may be more
reddish-brown to
yellow in color.
Life Cycle
In
the spring,
carpenter ants
swarm, i.e., winged
adults emerge from
the colony. The
swarmer's sole
purpose is
reproduction.
Shortly after
mating, the female
(queen) loses her
wings and searches
out a cavity in wood
or soil where she
begins to lay eggs
and produce her
colony's first
workers. These
workers care for the
queen as she
produces more
offspring, and they
assume the tasks of
foraging for food,
maintaining and
expanding the nest,
and caring for the
young. After 3-6
years, the colony
will contain
2000-3000 workers,
and will start to
produce swarmers.
The swarmers are
actually produced in
the fall, but they
wait until the
following spring to
emerge. Swarming is
not the only means
for carpenter ants
to produce new
nests. "Satellite"
colonies may be
formed by workers
that move out of the
main nest, carrying
larvae and pupae
with them.
Eventually, these
secondary colonies
produce their own
reproductives.
Nesting and Feeding
Habits
Unlike
termites, carpenter
ants do not eat
wood; they tunnel
through wood while
building or
expanding their
nests. Typical
outdoor nesting
sites include tree
holes, tree stumps,
logs, standing dead
trees, and planter
boxes. When
conditions are
suitable, carpenter
ants may establish
nests indoors.
Typical indoor
nesting sites
include structural
wood, wall voids,
attic areas,
insulation (foam or
fibreglass), hollow
doors, window/door
casings, voids
beneath
kitchen/bathroom
cabinets, as well as
hollow beams (e.g.,
decorative beams
that may cover pipes
or girders. In the
case of carpenter
ant species that
nest in existing
cavities, the
workers may
subsequently invade
and damage nearby
structural wood
while expanding
their nest site.
The ants
often invade homes
through cracks and
crevices in the
foundation masonry,
around windows and
doors, through
foundation, as well
as heating/AC vents.
They may travel
along tree limbs or
shrubs that touch
the siding and roof,
gaining access to
attic areas.
Telephone, electric
and cable TV lines
also provide ready
means of entering
the home. When the
ants invade homes,
they usually seek
out sweet items,
such as sugar, but
they also will feed
on fats, grease and
meats. Water is also
important to the
ants. Outdoors, you
will often find ants
collecting water
dripping from water
spigots, gutter
downspouts or air
conditioner drain
lines. Indoors, the
ants are often seen
near sinks, bathtubs
and dishwashers.