Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants: The Ultimate Guide

Carpenter ants are a type of ant that belongs to the genus Camponotus. They are large, industrious ants that are found all over the world. In this guide, we will delve into the world of carpenter ants, including their physical characteristics, behavior, habitat, and more.

Physical Characteristics

Carpenter ants are large, with a body length of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. They have a slender, segmented body and six legs. They are typically black in color and are often covered in small, hairy spines. Carpenter ants are easily distinguished from other types of ants by their large size and their habit of building nests in wood.

Behavior

Carpenter ants are active during the day and are most often seen in gardens, parks, and other outdoor areas. They are known for their industrious nature and are often found working in large groups to build and maintain their nests.

Carpenter ants are social insects and live in large colonies, which are usually headed by a queen ant. The queen ant is responsible for laying eggs and producing offspring, while the worker ants are responsible for foraging for food, caring for the young, and maintaining the nest.

Carpenter ants have a complex social structure and communicate with each other using a series of dances and pheromones. They work together to defend the nest and protect the colony from predators.

Habitat

Carpenter ants are found all over the world and can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, fields, and gardens. They prefer to live in warm, humid environments and are often found near sources of water.

In the wild, carpenter ants can be found in a variety of habitats, including forests, fields, and gardens. They are also known to hide in homes and other buildings, where they can build nests in wood, such as in walls, floors, and ceilings.

Conclusion

Carpenter ants are large, industrious ants that are found all over the world. They are known for their habit of building nests in wood and their social behavior. Although they can be intimidating to some people, carpenter ants are generally not aggressive and will only attack if they feel threatened. If you spot a carpenter ant in your home or elsewhere, it is important to use caution and avoid disturbing it. If you have a carpenter ant infestation in your home, it is important to contact a pest control professional to help eliminate the problem.

Carpenter Ants: Wood Infesting Ants

The black carpenter ant is the most common carpenter ant pest in the Mid-Atlantic region, of which Washington DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia are a part. It nests in wood and is an important structural pest. It is dull black with pale yellow or light pubescence (hairs), with the gaster's pubescence coarse, dense, and as long as erect hairs. Carpenter ant workers are large, between 6 and 13 mm long.

Carpenter ants enter buildings to nest or forage. They are called "carpenters" because they excavate their nests in wood, creating smooth tunnels and galleries. They generally initiate their primary colonies by excavating wood that is decayed or damaged by other insects, but will often construct satellite colonies in wood that is structurally sound. These satellite colonies are found more often than their primary colonies.

Carpenter ant colonies are established after the mating flights of winged male and female reproductives (swarmers). The nuptial flights usually begin during the first warm days of spring. After mating, the male ants die. Most carpenter ant colonies are monogyne, beginning from a single queen. She often starts the nest in a small cavity in a dead or live tree, where she lays her first eggs. In two to three weeks, the eggs hatch into larvae that are fed by the queen. At the end of larval development, they pupate and later emerge as minor workers (minors), numbering 10 to 25 individuals. The minors begin foraging, excavating, and brood rearing for the colony.

In two years, a population of workers ranging in size from small minors to large majors will be present. In three to five years, colonies of black carpenter ants start producing alates (swarmers). Populations of carpenter ant colonies can reach tremendous numbers.  Mature colonies consist of a parent nest and often satellite nests are established nearby whenever a need arises for more territory, more resources, or a drier, warmer nesting site for development of their larvae and pupae. The queen, workers, and small larvae are always present in the parent nest, whereas the satellite colonies contain workers, larger larvae, and pupae. Except during the winter diapause, workers travel between the various satellites of a colony on well-defined trails. The distance between parent and satellite nests varies, but has been measured as far as 750 feet.

Parent nests containing the queen, workers, winged reproductives, and larvae overwinter in a metabolic stated called diapause. Diapause is a period of dormancy during which ants are in a state of suspended animation. The encasing wood of the colony's residence provides them with insulation from the cold temperatures of winter. In addition to that, larvae, workers, and reproductives have glycerol, a compound that acts as antifreeze.

In Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC, colonies of carpenter ants typically break diapause in March, and the queen begins her first egg-laying of the season, lasting for 7 to 10 days. The voracious appetites of the developing larvae trigger increased foraging activity. The most intense foraging of the season is due to the increasing food requirements of the rapidly developing larvae.

A second peak of activity occurs in June when the queen again lays eggs for another 7 to 10 day period. The foraging activity during this second peak is typically shorter and less intense. The colony will enter diapause in September or October, along with the late summer brood, which overwinters as larvae and complete development in February. Colonies are perennial, and can exist for more than 20 years.

Since carpenter ants are primarily nocturnal, they rely heavily on physical cues and pheromone trails for orientation to and from the nest. They also use airborne odors to locate food. Well-maintained physical trails and trunk lines of carpenter ants serve as roadways through vegetation and debris. The distance traveled to obtain food varies.

A colony of black carpenter ants has a distinct cycle of protein consumption, which coincides with their brood production in the summer and fall. The quantity and quality of nitrogen in the protein and amino acids ingested are the key factors for growth and development. Their consumption of carbohydrates, on the other hand, is relatively constant and more than twice as high as protein. Carbohydrates are the primary energy source of adult carpenter ants.

It has been observed that black carpenter ants will travel greater distances to forage upon higher concentrations of sugar solution, but foraged intensively on protein solution regardless of distance and concentration. Honeydew, juices from over ripe fruit, and dead or live insects are natural sources of carbohydrates and proteins for carpenter ants. In addition, many household foods containing sugars, such as jams, syrups, and cakes are foraged upon, as well as meat and cooked eggs.

In structural infestations of carpenter ants, the parent nest is generally located outside in a tree, stump, stack of firewood, or landscape timbers. In a tree, nests are frequently located in hollows or dead limbs. Nesting sites of black carpenter ants in standing trees are most often associated with larger mature trees with tree holes or branch crotches. These features were indicative of tree damage and moisture accumulation, which is favorable for wood decay.

Satellite nests may be found in similar sites in one or more neighboring trees and in adjacent structures. Such colonies may be found in a variety of places, including attic rafters, roof overhangs, bay windows, fascia boards, floor joists, box headers, wall voids, hollow curtain and shower rods, hollow doors or columns, behind dishwashers, under or behind insulation in attics and crawlspaces, bath traps, under cabinets, and in ceiling voids next to skylights and chimneys. A parent nest found inside is typically associated with a water leak or other constant source of moisture.

A house built in a woodland habitat is a prime candidate for carpenter ant infestation. The numerous trees, landscape timbers, wooden porches and fences, and bay or box windows are all potential hot spots. Leaky pipes or roofs, clogged gutters, and chimneys with improperly fitted flashing can create moisture problems which attract carpenter ants.

Homes with flat roofs, dormers, or hollow porch columns are potential sites for infestation. Often, moisture damage, especially in a void space, is an open invitation for a carpenter ant infestation. Multiple roof lines, if not sealed properly and adequately ventilated, often lead to moisture damage in the attic. Other conditions conducive to infestation include holes and cracks where utility lines enter the house, earth-to-wood contacts, tree branches in contact with the building, and inadequate ventilation.

Carpenter ants have a one-segmented pedicel in the form of a vertical scale, and a terminal acidopore with a circular orifice fringed with hairs. The workers are polymorphic and characterized by their evenly convex thoracic dorsum.