Recognizing Carpenter Ants

Written by April Reinhardt (last updated May 18, 2009)

Since ants thrive in most any ecosystem, and are indigenous in every part of the world except Antarctica, most everyone has seen an ant and can recognize them at first glance. They have a distinctive node-like body structure that forms a slender "wasp waist" and their antennae are elbowed, rather than straight. Flying ants are sometimes mistaken for wasps, since both are of the same family of insects.

Ants range in size from three-tenths of 1 inch up to 2 inches long, with carpenter ants near the upper end of that spectrum. Carpenter ants can be winged or wingless, red or black in color, and sometimes as large as 1 inch long. Carpenter ants only have one node and a thorax, while other common ants have two nodes.

Most commonly found in and around moist, wooded areas, carpenter ants are the most wood-destructive insects, making tunnels throughout solid wood including walls, floors, and household furniture. And because winged carpenter ants will fly, you might see them in your house in late winter or spring, and are sometimes confused with termites. Because both insects destroy wood and live in colonies, termites are often incorrectly identified as carpenter ants, and vice versa. It is important to distinguish between the two, however, since each are controlled by different methods. Here are the main differences between carpenter ants and termites:

Physical Characteristics of Carpenter Ants

  • Red or black in color.
  • Elbowed antennae.
  • Front wings are longer than the back wings.
  • Three distinct body segments, and a slim "wasp waist."
  • 1/4 inch up to 3/4 inch long.

Physical Characteristics of Termites

  • Pale yellow, pale gray, or brown in color.
  • Straight antennae.
  • Long wings of equal length.
  • Thick waisted with no distinct waist.
  • Typically only about 1/8 inch long.
  • If you store lumber or firewood outside of your home, or in a garage, make sure that you keep the wood moisture-free and elevated from the ground or floor, since carpenter ants will colonize in moist wood. They feed on sugar and protein and have been known to travel as far as 100 yards to find food and feed on such edibles as sugar, jelly, meats, and dead insects. If you suspect a carpenter ant infestation, remove their food source and call a professional exterminator for an assessment.

Author Bio

April Reinhardt

An admin­istrator for a mutual fund man­age­ment firm, April deals with the writ­ten word daily. She loves to write and plans to author a memoir in the near future. April attend­ed More­head State Uni­ver­sity to pursue a BA degree in Ele­men­tary Edu­ca­tion. ...

MORE FROM APRIL

Removing Hard Water Stains from Linoleum

Since linoleum is made from natural ingredients, it is a porous material and can absorb watery substances, forming ...

Discover More

Must-Have Vegetable Garden Supplies

If you've ever planted a vegetable garden, then you know that regular maintenance is essential for growing vegetables ...

Discover More

Mail Order Steak

Are you looking for an inexpensive alternative to visiting the butcher? Well, instead of ordering meats from a local ...

Discover More

Best Product Available! DuPont's Advion is a new, high-performing bait targeting all species of cockroaches. Cockroaches cannot resist the superior ingredients in this bait and even the toughest populations are quickly controlled. You get speed and spectrum all in a single product! Check out Advion Syngenta Cockroach Gel Bait today!

More Pest Tips

Kill Ants with Proprietary Ant Killer

If your home remedies aren't working when it comes to ridding your home, garden, and landscape of ants, you might try a ...

Discover More

Areas Affected by Fire Ants

If you are worried about aggressive pests, then it is a good idea to know about the areas affected by fire ants. Here is ...

Discover More

Use Acid and Poison to Make Homemade Ant Bait

Why spend a lot of money on bug sprays and baits that are not effective, when you can make homemade ant bait at home for ...

Discover More
Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 2 + 8?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)