Carpenter Ant

APPEARANCE:
Carpenter ants are usually the most noticeable ants, because of their large size. Workers are about 1/8 of an inch, while the queens are around 1/4 inch. The most common species is black, but some have reddish or yellowish coloration.

HABITAT:
When Carpenter ants are active in the house during late winter/early spring (February/March), the infestation (nest) is probably located within the household. When carpenter ants are first seen in the spring and summer (May/June), then the nest is likely outdoors and the ants are simply coming in, in search of food. Carpenter ants live both outdoors and indoors in moist, decaying or hollow wood. They cut "galleries" into the wood grain to provide passageways for movement from section to section of the nest. They can leave "sawdust" piles behind that provides clues to the whereabouts of the nesting location.

DIET:
Carpenter Ants do not actually eat wood, but will feed on anything in the household from sweets to meats. The most natural food for ants consists of honeydew from aphids, other insects, and plant juices.

LIFE CYCLE/REPRODUCTION:
Each colony is founded by a single fertilized queen. The Queen ant generally lays between 15 to 20 eggs the first year and up to 30 eggs the second year. Eggs complete their life cycle in about 60 days. Worker ants can live up to seven years, while a queen may live up to 25 years. Mature colonies can contain up to 50,000 workers.

TYPES OF DAMAGE:
Carpenter ants rarely cause structural damage to buildings, although they can cause significant damage over a period of years, because nests are so long lived. Some recent evidence indicates that they can also cause extensive damage to foam insulation.

Ocassional
Invaders
Ants
Silverfish
Spiders
Asian Beetles
Sowbugs
Centipedes
Box Elders
Earwigs
Millipedes
Bat Bugs
Bed Bugs
Springtails
Fleas
Fruit Flies
Clutser Flies