Origin: There are a wide variety of these ants that are native to North America. Many of these ant varieties will enter your home and attack the framework of the structure.

Biology: Carpenter Ants tend to habit wood that is either slightly buried in the ground or fully buried. They can also create colonies that maintain themselves within the structure. These colonies are called "satellite". Once a "satellite" colony is established, the ants will communicate between both the main colony and the "satellite" colony. Carpenter Ants will have a single queen, however, there are sometimes auxiliary queens to help run things. A typical size colony will contain about 15,000 workers, however, a colony could reach
100,000. Their food consists of carbs and protein. They are able to bite but do not have a stinger. These ants only nest in wood timbers. They do not actually eat wood. Carpenter Ants do vary in size.

Identification: Carpenter Ants differ in color. They can range from tan to black, red to orange or combinations of red and black. Workers, mentioned, vary in size. Typically, they are six to thirteen millimeter in length.

Control Measures: One must locate the nest and treat it directly. The use of a residual nsecticide will kill the ants, however, using a dust formulation may be your best bet. Also, you may treat a "satellite" colony using these methods. If you cannot located the nest, using a granular bait can be effective, but it will take time to achieve results. Make sure all moist areas around the home are reduced and any additional wood materials are removed.

Image Citation:
Edward H. Holsten, USDA Forest Service, www.forestryimages.org