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Carpenter Ant

Camponotus modoc

The Carpenter ant is native to North America. Typically, nest contain 10,000-20,000 workers, but can contain as many as 100,000 with one queen per colony. They nest both indoors and outdoors. A common pattern of behavior is to establish a "parent colony" on the exterior of a structure, and once established, sending out "satellite colonies". Satellite colonies can move out into the landscape, or into a structure. Carpenter ants can enter a structure around door and window frames, through eaves, along plumbing and utility lines, and by branches that serve as a bridge to the structure. Queens always reside within the parent colony. Nests can mature within 3 to 6 years. Usually the ants maintain a trail between the parent and satellite colonies.

Carpenter ants are mostly black in color but some have reddish legs or a reddish abdomen. They are polymorphic (various sizes) and workers can range in size from 1/5-1/2 inch, queens are usually 1/2 inch or larger. They can be identified by the single, large node and the evenly rounded top of the thorax. It has no dips or spines on it, but is an even, curved line from front to back.

Carpenter ants are considered a wood destroying insect. They are not picky when it comes to the type of dwellings they will infest. Outside they prefer areas such as rotted wood, the dead portions of live trees (heartwood), logs, stumps, landscape timbers, railroad ties and wood piles. Inside they tend to nest within the wall voids or in areas with moisture damaged or decaying wood. They will also nest in porch pillars, roofs, siding, attic spaces, hollowed doors, and insulation. While they are often mistakenly thought to eat wood, they do not. They cut "galleries" into the grain of the wood to provide passageways to move within the nesting area or to expand the nest. These areas can be identified by sawdust like material known as "frass" which consists of the debris from the chewed wood.

Important preventative measures include:

1. Correct moisture problems, roof leaks, and plumbing leaks.
2. Cut back tree limbs or branches that could serve as a bridge to your structure.
3. Seal cracks and openings around the foundation, especially where utility pipes and wires enter from the outside.
4. Firewood needs to be stacked away from the house, elevated off the ground if possible.

While these preventative measures may help prevent at infestation, once a colony has a well established nest, a call to Long Pest Control can develop an Integrated Pest Control program to eliminate the sightings and provide an environment free of unwanted ground crawling insects year round.