Carpenter Ants

In the US, carpenter ants fall under the category of biggest ants. They can be as long as 13 mm. Most species of these ants are black, but there are some species that are yellowish or reddish. Worker ants feature big mandibles.

Diet, Habits Behavior

Carpenter ants can be found both indoors and outdoors in places that are warm and moist, such as hollow wood. The workers tend to cut galleries into grain to make their nests and passageways for moving to and from difference sections of the nest. These ants feed on food people eat, such as meats and sweets. Like other ants, the also eat other dead insects.

Reproduction

In the first year, queens lay up to 16 eggs and live as many as 25 years. The life cycle of eggs is between 6 and 12 weeks.

Signs of a Carpenter Ant Infestation

How can you know if your house is infested with carpenter ants? It’s simple. If you notice carpenter ant workers moving around different areas of your house, you have an infestation problem. Swarmer’s are produced when an ant colony reaches the maturity stage and is all set to make a new colony. Another good sign of infestation is the debris produced by the ants while tunneling in your house.

Where Do Carpenter Ants Live?

There are different sizes of carpenter ants. Some are just 3.4 mm in length, while others are 13 mm in length. In each colony, almost every size of ant can be found based on responsibility and caste. Just like size, they vary in color as well. They can be dark brown, jet black, orange, yellow, light brown or yellowish tan. Most commonly, you will come across black ants. As far as region goes, they can be found almost all over the world.

Naturally, carpenter ants can live in both living and dead trees, rotting logs and stumps. However, they can also set up their nests in homes as long as the place is not short of food.

Worker ants can establish two types of nests, namely satellite colonies and parent colonies. In a parent colony, there are numerous workers, one queen and her brood. On the other hand, a satellite colony has pupae, older larvae and workers. When the parent colony runs out of room or food, workers start a new colony. Each parent colony may be associated with many satellite colonies.

Carpenter Ant Treatment

If you want to control a carpet ant infestation, you should first look for the nest. As soon as you have found one, you should treat or remove it chemically. Besides, moisture condition should also be treated.

If treated at early stages, carpenter ants rarely cause any serious damage to a house or building. But they can cause some serious damage if left untreated. So, it is highly recommended that you get in touch with a good pest control professional, especially if the problem is serious. Not using the right methods will allow a colony of carpenter ants to rebound as soon as the surviving members start their foraging and burrowing once again.

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