What Do Carpenter Ants Eat?
Knowing what carpenter ants eat is important because it directly affects how effectively you can prevent, detect, and eliminate infestations. Here’s why the diet of these ants matters:
Accurate identification of activity and risk: Carpenter ants do not eat wood; they excavate it to build nests. Understanding that they feed mainly on proteins, sugars, and other insects helps distinguish them from termites and prevents misdiagnosis that can lead to improper treatment.
Effective bait selection and placement: Carpenter ants’ food preferences change seasonally—protein-based foods during colony growth phases and sugary foods when energy demand is higher. Knowing this allows for precise bait selection, increasing the likelihood that foraging workers will carry poison back to the colony, including the queen.
Improved inspection and early detection: Recognizing what attracts carpenter ants helps identify problem areas. Foods such as grease, pet food, dead insects, honeydew from aphids, or leaking sugary residues point inspectors to foraging trails and satellite nests before structural damage escalates.
Targeted prevention strategies: By understanding their diet, property owners and professionals can eliminate attractants—sealing food sources, managing moisture, reducing insect prey, and controlling sap-producing plants—making structures less appealing and reducing reinfestation risk.
Locating nests more efficiently: Carpenter ants often nest near reliable food sources. Knowledge of what they eat helps trace movement patterns from kitchens, trash areas, or insect-rich zones back to primary or satellite nests, saving time and reducing unnecessary pesticide use.
Reduced reliance on broad-spectrum treatments: Diet-based control methods allow for focused, lower-impact solutions instead of blanket spraying. This leads to safer, more environmentally responsible pest management with better long-term results.
Knowing what carpenter ants eat transforms control efforts from reactive guesswork into precise, strategic pest management—minimizing damage, improving outcomes, and preventing recurring infestations.
What Carpenter Ants Eat
Carpenter ants have a varied diet, and understanding it is essential for effective control. Their feeding habits are driven by the needs of the colony and change throughout the year.
Sugary foods (primary energy source): Carpenter ants strongly prefer sugars for energy. Common sources include honey, syrup, soda residue, fruit juices, and other sweet spills. Outdoors, they rely heavily on honeydew produced by aphids and other sap-feeding insects on trees and shrubs.
Proteins (critical for colony growth): Proteins are necessary to support larval development and egg production. Carpenter ants obtain protein from dead insects, other arthropods, meat scraps, grease, pet food, and high-protein human foods. During active growth periods, protein demand increases significantly.
Fats and grease: Greasy residues from kitchens, grills, and trash areas are highly attractive. These foods often draw carpenter ants indoors, especially at night when foraging activity peaks.
Plant-based materials and liquids: They may feed on plant juices, tree sap, and soft plant tissues, particularly where trees are stressed or damaged. This is why carpenter ants are commonly associated with wooded environments.
Moisture-associated food sources: Carpenter ants are attracted to damp environments because moisture supports both nesting and access to food such as fungi and other insects. Leaks, rotting wood, and condensation areas indirectly provide food opportunities.
What carpenter ants do not eat: Carpenter ants do not consume wood. They excavate wood solely to create nesting galleries, often choosing wood already softened by moisture or decay.
Carpenter ants are opportunistic omnivores that seek sugars for energy and proteins for growth. Knowing this allows for precise baiting, better inspection, and more effective long-term control.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Wood?
No, carpenter ants do not eat wood—but this point is critical to understand because it explains both the damage they cause and how to control them.
Wood is excavated, not consumed: Carpenter ants chew through wood to create smooth, hollow galleries for nesting. The wood is pushed out of the nest as sawdust-like material called frass. They gain no nutritional value from the wood itself.
Why wood damage still occurs: Although they don’t eat wood, their nesting activity can weaken structural components over time, especially if infestations go undetected. Damage is often mistaken for termite activity, leading to confusion and improper treatment.
Preference for damaged or moist wood: Carpenter ants typically choose wood that is already softened by moisture, rot, or water intrusion. Leaky roofs, plumbing leaks, poor drainage, and high humidity create ideal nesting conditions.
Key difference from termites: Termites consume wood as food and digest cellulose. Carpenter ants cannot digest cellulose and rely instead on sugars and proteins from other sources. This distinction determines inspection methods and treatment strategies.
Why this matters for control: Since carpenter ants are not feeding on wood, surface wood treatments alone are ineffective. Successful control focuses on eliminating moisture problems, locating nests, and using properly selected baits that match their dietary preferences.
Carpenter ants damage wood through excavation—not consumption—and understanding this difference is essential for accurate identification and effective management.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Pressure Treated Wood?
No, carpenter ants do not “eat” pressure-treated wood—but pressure-treated wood can still be affected under certain conditions:
Pressure-treated wood is generally unattractive: Fresh pressure-treated lumber contains preservatives that repel insects and resist decay. This makes it a poor nesting choice compared to untreated or softened wood.
When pressure-treated wood can be excavated: Carpenter ants may still tunnel into pressure-treated wood if the wood has aged and leached preservatives over time, there is chronic moisture exposure (ground contact, leaks, poor drainage), the wood is cracked, drilled, or weathered, providing entry points, or nearby nesting pressure forces expansion into less-ideal materials
Moisture is the real risk factor: Even pressure-treated wood can become vulnerable if it stays wet. Moisture softens wood fibers, supports decay organisms, and makes excavation easier—this is what attracts carpenter ants, not the wood itself.
Practical implication for inspections and control: Finding carpenter ants in or near pressure-treated wood usually indicates a moisture problem that needs correction, a nearby primary or satellite nest in more favorable material, or environmental conditions that support ongoing infestation.
Pressure-treated wood does not serve as food for carpenter ants and is not a preferred nesting material. If carpenter ants are present, the underlying issue is almost always moisture, decay, or structural vulnerability, not the treatment level of the wood.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Cedar?
No, carpenter ants do not “eat” cedar—but cedar does have special characteristics that affect how likely it is to be damaged:
Cedar is naturally resistant to insects: Cedar contains natural oils (such as thujaplicins) that repel many insects and resist decay. This makes cedar far less attractive to carpenter ants than most other woods.
Cedar can still be excavated under certain conditions: Despite its resistance, carpenter ants may tunnel into cedar if the cedar is aged, weathered, or dried out, reducing oil content, the wood is kept consistently moist, the cedar is cracked, split, or structurally compromised, or there is strong nesting pressure from a nearby colony.
Moisture overrides wood type: Carpenter ants prioritize softness and moisture, not species of wood. Wet cedar is more vulnerable than dry pine, and moisture problems often explain cedar damage when it occurs.
What cedar damage usually indicates: Carpenter ants in cedar typically signal poor drainage or ground contact, water intrusion or condensation, or an established nest nearby expanding into secondary material
Cedar is not food for carpenter ants and is generally a poor nesting choice for them. If carpenter ants are found in cedar, the issue is almost always moisture, aging, or environmental conditions, not the cedar itself.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Insects?
Carpenter ants primarily feed on honeydew-producing insects for sugar and scavenge or hunt soft-bodied insects for protein. Their insect diet directly supports colony growth and explains why insect-rich environments often correlate with carpenter ant infestations.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Other Ants?
Yes, carpenter ants do eat other ants. They will kill and consume competing ant species during territorial conflicts or while raiding nearby nests, using them as a protein source to support colony growth. This behavior is opportunistic rather than routine feeding, but it is common enough to occur wherever carpenter ants overlap with other ant populations.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Aphids?
Carpenter ants do not typically eat aphids, but they actively feed on the sugary honeydew aphids produce. They often protect aphid colonies from predators in exchange for this food source, making aphids an important indirect food resource rather than prey.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Bees?
Carpenter ants do not normally hunt bees, but they will eat bees that are dead, dying, or incapacitated. Bees serve as an opportunistic protein source rather than regular prey, and carpenter ants are more likely to scavenge them than actively attack healthy, flying bees.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Beetles?
Yes, carpenter ants eat beetles, primarily targeting soft-bodied adults or larvae. Beetles provide a valuable protein source for the colony, especially during periods of brood development, and are consumed opportunistically when found in or near the ants’ foraging areas.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Butterflies?
Carpenter ants do not actively hunt healthy butterflies, but they will consume butterflies that are dead, injured, or otherwise incapacitated. In such cases, butterflies serve as an opportunistic protein source for the colony.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Centipedes?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat centipedes if they are small, injured, or vulnerable. Centipedes provide a protein-rich food source, and ants will take advantage of them opportunistically, especially when other protein sources are nearby.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Cicadas?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat cicadas, particularly dead or weakened individuals. Cicadas provide a substantial protein source, making them a valuable opportunistic food item for the colony during foraging.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Cockroaches?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat cockroaches, especially smaller, injured, or dead individuals. Cockroaches serve as a protein-rich food source, and carpenter ants will opportunistically scavenge or attack them when encountered.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Crickets?
Yes, carpenter ants eat crickets, primarily targeting injured, slow, or dead individuals. Crickets provide a high-protein food source that supports larval growth and overall colony development.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Earwigs?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat earwigs, particularly if they are dead, injured, or easily captured. Earwigs serve as an opportunistic protein source that helps sustain the colony and support larval development.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Fleas?
Carpenter ants do not typically hunt fleas, but they may consume them opportunistically if they are dead or trapped. Fleas provide a small protein source, though they are not a significant part of the ants’ diet.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Flies?
Yes, carpenter ants eat flies, especially dead, injured, or slow-moving individuals. Flies provide an accessible source of protein that helps support the colony and larval development.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Grasshoppers?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat grasshoppers, particularly if they are injured, weak, or dead. Grasshoppers provide a substantial protein source that supports colony growth and larval development.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Millipedes?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat millipedes, especially small, injured, or vulnerable individuals. Millipedes provide a protein-rich food source that can be scavenged opportunistically to support colony growth.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Mites?
Carpenter ants do not typically prey on mites, but they may opportunistically consume them if they encounter dead or immobilized individuals. Mites provide only a minimal protein source and are not a significant part of the ants’ diet.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Mosquitoes?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat mosquitoes, primarily dead or incapacitated ones. Mosquitoes serve as an opportunistic protein source rather than a primary food item for the colony.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Moths?
Yes, carpenter ants eat moths, particularly dead, injured, or slow-moving individuals. Moths provide a protein-rich food source that supports larval growth and overall colony development.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Silverfish?
Yes, carpenter ants eat silverfish, especially those that are dead, injured, or easily captured. Silverfish provide a valuable protein source that helps sustain the colony and support larval development.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Slugs?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat slugs, particularly small, injured, or dead ones. Slugs provide a protein-rich and moisture-rich food source that can be scavenged opportunistically by the colony.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Snails?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat snails, especially small, injured, or dead individuals. Snails provide both protein and moisture, making them an opportunistic food source for the colony.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Spiders?
Yes, carpenter ants eat spiders, especially small, injured, or trapped ones. Spiders provide a valuable protein source that supports colony growth and larval development.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Springtails?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat springtails, particularly dead or easily captured individuals. Springtails provide a small but usable protein source that can supplement the colony’s diet.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Termites?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat termites, primarily targeting weakened, injured, or dead individuals. Termites serve as an opportunistic protein source rather than a primary food, supplementing the colony’s diet when available.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Ticks?
Carpenter ants do not typically hunt ticks, but they may consume dead or incapacitated ones opportunistically. Ticks provide only a minor protein source and are not a significant part of their diet.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Wasps?
Yes, carpenter ants will eat wasps, particularly those that are dead, injured, or trapped. Wasps provide a protein-rich food source that can be opportunistically scavenged to support colony growth.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Sugar?
Carpenter ants are highly attracted to sugary foods because sugar provides the energy necessary for foraging, colony maintenance, and larval care. The most likely sugary foods they consume include:
Honey and syrups – Honey, maple syrup, and pancake syrup are prime attractants for indoor and outdoor ants.
Fruit juices and soft drinks – Spilled fruit juice, soda, and other sweet beverages are readily harvested by foraging workers.
Overripe or damaged fruit – Soft, fermenting fruit such as apples, berries, grapes, and peaches release sugars that ants actively collect.
Honeydew from aphids and other sap-feeding insects – Outdoors, honeydew is a major natural sugar source and often draws ants to trees and shrubs.
Nectar from flowers – Carpenter ants will feed on nectar from flowering plants, particularly during warm months when other sugars may be limited.
Sweet human foods – Candy, cake, pastries, jams, and other processed sugary foods are attractive in homes.
Sap from wounded or stressed plants – Exuding sap on trees or shrubs provides a natural sugar source that attracts carpenter ants.
Carpenter ants target liquid or easily accessible sugars both indoors and outdoors, with a strong preference for honeydew, nectar, and fermenting fruits. Controlling access to these sugars is key to reducing ant foraging and infestations.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Fruit?
Carpenter ants are opportunistic feeders that target soft, sweet, and overripe fruits for their high sugar content:
Apples: Overripe or damaged apples are highly attractive to carpenter ants because they release sugars that ants can easily harvest. Fallen fruit beneath trees often becomes a concentrated feeding area.
Pears: Like apples, pears that are soft, bruised, or fermenting provide an easy sugar source for foraging ants.
Berries: Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and similar soft fruits are appealing due to their high sugar content and accessibility to ants on low-growing plants.
Grapes: Grapes that are cracked, split, or overripe are readily consumed by carpenter ants, which are drawn to the exposed juices.
Citrus fruits: Oranges, lemons, and other citrus fruits attract carpenter ants when they fall or sustain damage, releasing sweet, sticky juice.
Stone fruits: Peaches, plums, nectarines, and cherries that are overripe or damaged provide sugars and moisture that ants find highly attractive.
Other soft, sugary fruits: Any soft, sweet, or fermenting fruit—including melons and figs—can draw carpenter ants, especially when left on the ground or near structures.
Carpenter ants rarely damage intact fruit but readily exploit exposed or fallen produce.
Do Carpenter Ants Eat Plants?
Carpenter ants do not primarily eat plants, but certain plants strongly attract them because those plants provide sugars, sap, or insect prey. Understanding this distinction is important for accurate inspections and long-term control.
Plants infested with aphids, scale, or mealybugs (most important factor): Carpenter ants are highly attracted to plants hosting sap-feeding insects because those insects produce honeydew, a sugary liquid that ants actively harvest.
Trees that produce sap or have wounds: Carpenter ants will feed on tree sap leaking from damaged bark, pruning cuts, or stressed trees. Sap flow creates a reliable sugar source and often coincides with moisture and decay.
Fruit-bearing plants and fallen fruit: Overripe or damaged fruit provides easy sugars. Carpenter ants will feed on fruit juices rather than the plant tissue itself.
Flowering plants with nectar: Nectar can attract foraging ants, especially during warm months. While not a primary food source, it can support ant activity near structures.
Plants that harbor other insects: Dense vegetation supports spiders, flies, beetles, and other insects that carpenter ants hunt for protein.
Carpenter ants are attracted to plants that provide sugars and insects, not plants they can consume. Controlling honeydew-producing insects and plant moisture issues is often a key step in eliminating carpenter ant problems around homes and buildings.
Last Updated: 12/19/2025