Appearance:
Carpenter ants have an ash-brown to rusty-orange head and thorax, and their abdomen is black.
Size:
Range from 3/16-inch to 1/2-inch in length.
Behavior:
Carpenter ants forage alone or along trails 300 or more feet from the nest. They enter buildings around door and window frames, through eaves, along plumbing and utility lines, and over branches touching the building. Peak foraging occurs at night. Carpenter ants can inflict a nasty pinch when disturbed.
Habitat:
Carpenter ants will feed on sweets or proteins. They seem to prefer voids for nesting which have these characteristics: close to moisture and food sources, safe from predators such as birds and lizards, safe from flooding, heat, and other environmental stresses, and easily accessible (for them).
Unique Characteristics:
Carpenter ants will hollow out wood softened by moisture and/or fungi to create nests. This wood can be in the form of tree stumps or dead tree limbs, or in any part of a structure having damaged wood. Bits of debris, called frass, are often ejected from nesting sites.
Control:
Do you live in Florida and think that this ant may be invading your home? Hulett Environmental Services offers specialty treatments designed to control and eliminate this pest!
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