Carpenter ants are usually black or brown, measure less than half an inch in size, with bent antennae, a rounded thorax, and well-developed jaws. Some of them are also winged. Sawdust, wood damage, or a sound like crinkling cellophane coming from the walls may also indicate carpenter ants.
In nature, carpenter ants play the important role of helping break down decomposing trees. However, they become pests when they invade our homes and nest in our wood structures. Recognizing a carpenter ant is the first crucial step in catching an infestation as early as possible and stopping it in its tracks.
It’s important to distinguish between carpenter ants and termites. Although they might cause the same type of damage, they’re treated differently.
When identifying a carpenter ant infestation, observe how the ant itself looks and the damage it typically causes. Here’s how you can easily identify carpenter ants and determine whether they’ve infiltrated your home.
Physical Appearance of the Carpenter Ant
1. Color
Most carpenter ants are black or brown but may also be red, yellow, or orange, a mix of orange and black, or red and black. Color varies depending on which species you’re dealing with and may even vary between individual ants.
Color isn’t a deciding factor in whether you have carpenter ants, but it’s easily identifiable and a good trait to look out for. Those black or brown ants roaming around your house may be carpenter ants, so make a mental note of the color.
2. Size
Carpenter ants are usually bigger than common ants and can sometimes reach half an inch in size.
Although they’re generally large when it comes to ants, their size may vary based on the individual ants’ role. Ants who protect the colony are the biggest, with the most well-developed mandibles. Ants that take care of young larvae are the smallest.
3. Antennae and Thorax
Some specific morphological features of the carpenter ant are bent antennae and a rounded thorax. These also distinguish carpenter ants from termites.
The antennae are the long, thin appendages on the ant’s head. Carpenter ants use antennae to navigate your house through scent trails, communicate with other carpenter ants, and check on the quality of their food.
Carpenter ants have bent antennae, unlike the straight antennae of termites.
The ant’s thorax is the part where the wings would typically be attached, also known as the ant’s “trunk.” Their thorax is rounded but slim, unlike the termites’ wide waist. It’s also only made up of one or two nodes, differentiating the carpenter ant from other types of ants.
4. Wings
Most carpenter ants don’t have wings, but winged carpenter ants are part of a reproductive winged group. Their only purpose is to expand the colony by producing more worker carpenter ants.
Winged carpenter ants are often mistaken for termites, especially during mating swarms. Winged carpenter ants have two sets of wings, with the front wings being longer. Termites also have two sets of wings, but both are of the same length.
A few select winged carpenter ants found indoors are no cause for alarm, as the nest is likely outside. However, indoor swarms signal serious infestation and potential structural damage.
5. Well-Developed Mandibles
Carpenter ants have large, overdeveloped mandibles. The mandibles of an ant are the equivalent of their “jaw,” and they look like two little pincers on the bottom of their head.
Carpenter ants use their mandibles to perform various tasks, like fighting, communicating with fellow ants, caring for young larvae, and chewing through wood. Carpenter ants have large mandibles because they constantly chew through wood to create their nests.
Habitat and Behaviors of Worker Ants
They’re Most Active at Night
Carpenter ants do all their food foraging after sunset and are active throughout the night. Many scout ants are dispatched to find food for the hard-working colony.
They Have a Sweet Tooth
Most carpenter ants feed on sugary foods because they are the most calorie-dense type of food. They also feed on protein-rich food, including living and dead insects. But carpenter ants will go especially long distances and work harder for it.
Carpenter ants will carry away even minuscule amounts of sugar. This is because feeding the colony is essential. While termites eat wood, carpenter ants only chew through wood structures. Doing this all day is tiring work for these ants.
They Bite Readily
Carpenter ants will bite you if you try to handle them. Their bite can be quite painful because of their large mandibles.
Some ants sting, but not carpenter ants, though they might inject formic acid into you when they bite. If you’ve been injected, you’ll feel a burning sensation. You may experience redness, irritation, and swelling for a few days.
They Travel Through Scent Trails
Scout carpenter ants will explore unknown territory and leave pheromone trails for other ants to follow. These scent trails are like maps; they’re how carpenter ants navigate your home without needing to see where they’re going.
This is why you’ll see numerous ants following each other in a straight line; they’re following a scent trail. You can interrupt these scent trails by wiping down these surfaces with soapy water, vinegar, or a general-purpose cleaner.
They Don’t Make Anthills
If you’re looking for an anthill, you’re looking in the wrong place. Carpenter ant species don’t make anthills like field ants, but they might be burrowed into a pile of sawdust as they make carpenter ant nests.
The sawdust is the residue of the ants chewing through a wooden structure to infiltrate a tree or your home.
They Eat Wood
Wood damaged by carpenter ants has an irregular pattern with smooth surfaces. These ants chew across and with the wood grain, though it may take several years for the damage to be structurally significant.
Final Thoughts
Ants are generally pretty tiny, which makes identifying specific types of ants difficult. However, it’s necessary to identify a potential carpenter ant infestation as soon as possible.
It’s easier than you think if you know where to look, and now you do. This information will either reassure you that you’ve just seen some ordinary ants or incite you to take action against a carpenter ant infestation, whether through a pest control professional or by yourself.
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