How to Manage Pests

Identifying characteristics

• Workers are polymorphic (different sizes), large, 1/4- to 1/2-inch long
• Black or bicolored red and black
• Petiole with 1 node
• Thorax smooth and evenly rounded when viewed from the side
• Strong odor emitted when disturbed
• Often associated with wood

Behavior

• Feed on dead and living insects, aphid and scale honeydew, and juices of ripe fruit; prefer sweets
• Do not feed on wood
• Travel in loose trails
• Forage mostly late in the day or at night
• Prefer moist or humid environments
• Piles of sawdust-like frass and insect parts deposited outside or nearby nests
• Bore into wood to make nests, sometimes causing serious structural damage

Nest type and size

• Main colony often outside on tree stumps, dead tree, firewood pile, or fence post
• Consist of extensive networks of galleries usually begun in areas of wood, soft from decay
• May contain several thousand individuals; indoor nests may be satellite colonies of a larger nest outdoors
• Up to 20 satellite colonies can be associated with main colony that contains the queen(s)
• Indoor colonies always associated with moisture and may occur in hollow doors, window or door frames, or the subfloor

See also, carpenter ant quick management tips.

For more information, see the Carpenter Ants Pest Note.