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Home / Ants / Carpenter Ant
Carpenter Ant Facts
Ants of the genus Camponotus are known as carpenter ants because they prefer to establish their colonies in galleries excavated from damp or damaged wood. Carpenter ants do not eat wood as termites do, but instead remove wood and deposit the debris outside of their nests in small piles.
Carpenter ants clean their nesting sites, and their galleries are not lined with mud or moist soil as termite galleries typically are. Carpenter ant workers keep their galleries as smooth as sandpapered wood.
Carpenter ants vary in size, ranging from two to 20 millimeters in length. One carpenter ant colony can contain different sizes of ants depending on caste and responsibility. The color of carpenter ants also varies between species, ranging from jet-black to dark brown, red, black, yellow, orange, yellowish tan or light brown.
Because the size and color of carpenter ants vary between species and even between individuals within a single colony, these characteristics are not used in identifying carpenter ant infestation. Identification of carpenter ant species can only be made through careful observation of specific physical characteristics.
In natural environments, carpenter ants dwell in both dead and living trees, stumps and rotting logs. However, they may also establish their nests inside of homes and buildings where wood is found. Carpenter ants prefer to establish nests in areas where wood has been exposed to severe moisture.
Carpenter ants build two types of nests: parent colonies and satellite colonies. Parent colonies consist of a queen, her brood, and workers. Satellite colonies consist only of thousands of workers. Workers create satellite colonies when the parent colony lacks sufficient space or when there is a suitable supply of food or water. Satellite colonies are typically located within 20 to 40 feet from the parent nest. There may be several satellite colonies associated with a parent colony.
If treated quickly, carpenter ants are seldom responsible for serious structural damage to houses and buildings. However, these ants could cause extreme damage if they continue undiscovered for an extended period. Thus, it is best to contact a pest control professional in the event of an infestation.
Carpenter Ant Identification: How to Identify a Carpenter Ant
What Does a Carpenter Ant Look Like?
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