Learn About Carpenter Ants
The Go-To Resource on Everything Carpenter Ants
About this Guide
The Westside Pest Control team has worked hard on creating this awesome resource on Carpenter Ants! We hope it helps you to understand these amazing insects a little better, and inform you on the best remediation steps should you have an issue. We hope you enjoy learning about carpenter ants. Happy Learning!
Ah, the friendly little Carpenter Ant.
Sure, Carpenter ants can be a real menace, but they are essential to our eco-system.
Once upon a time, long before humans carpenter ants foraged in the dense forests of BC. They helped to keep down the population of other insects, and performed a vital role in the ecosystem by hastening the decay of rotten wood. As a native species, they’ve been here for millions of years, doing what they do year after year. And now we’ve got to learn to co-exist.
Hi, I’m Zack, the Chief Carpenter Ant Officer
Carpenter ants are notoriously hard to eliminate. Removal of carpenter ants is a delicate process that requires proper equipment and solutions. We recommend you consult with a professional before tackling any nest. Feel free to ask me any questions using the chat function.
First tip: Those tiny, little ants (sugar ants) coming in from outside to scavenge for food are likely harmless pavement ants. Carpenter ants are much larger in size, you can’t miss em. You’ll be like “wow, that’s a big ant!”
What’s in this guide?
Let’s get you the information you need quick. Click a link and jump to that section.
Identifying Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are usually easy to spot when they appear in a home. The structurally damaging insects are unmistakably large, usually black/reddish-black in colour, measuring approx 6-12 mm, bigger in size than your typical pavement ant.
Typically reaction might be “holy crap, that’s a big ant!”
In BC there are 10 species of Carpenter Ant, but the ones that are mostly likely to be an issue for home in the region are the Camponotus Modoc and Camponotus Vicinus. Learn more about the different kinds of carpenter ants in BC.
Have a swipe through some of these carpenter ant pictures ->
Listen to Zach explain how you can identify carpenter ants
Camponotus modoc Carpenter Ant
Species: C. modoc
- Colour: Black
- Length: 6mm-12mm
- Nest(s) Location: various locations, usually places with higher humidity
- Nest(s): One Parent nest + Satellite colonies
- Queen(s): One Queen
Camponotus Vicinus Carpenter Ant
Species: C. Vicinus
- Colour reddish-brown and black
- Length: 6mm-12mm
- Nest(s) Location: various locations, usually places with higher humidity
- Nest(s): Multiple Parent nests+ Satellite colonies
- Queen(s): Multiple Queens
Learn more about the Camponotus Vicinus Carpenter Ant
Remember:
Both can have a tinge of red in the legs, but usually when they are all black in colour that’s the Modoc. When we see the red thorax, that would be the Vicinus.
The biggest difference is that Modoc has one queen and satellite nests. Vicinus on the other hand has multiple queens. For this reason, the population grows faster (more reproductive females) and can be more destructive because of that. Once we spot Vicinus we always go with comprehensive treatment because targeted treatments are rarely successful against such a network of nests.
Types of Carpenter Ants in the Colony
Carpenter ants are social insects, similar to other ants species. A colony typically compromises of workers, the winged male reproductives, and the queen. And be sure you don’t get mixed up with other ant species. Winged ants can be carpenter ants, pavement ants or another ant species. Time of year is the best way to differentiate them, carpenter ant swarming comes first, spring and early summer. Pavement ant swarms come later in the summer closer to the first big peak in summer heat.
Learn more about winged Carpenter ants or the Queen Carpenter Ant
worker carpenter ant
winged carpenter ant
Credit: Bugguide - https://bugguide.net/node/view/106921
Why Do We Get Carpenter Ants?
In the Metro Vancouver region carpenter ants thrive thanks to our wet, humid climate.. it’s the kind of environment they love!
You will have carpenter ants issues where there’s moisture build-up. Most problems are caused by leaks, humidity issues, and poor maintenance. Maybe you had a leak five, ten years ago, which created some wood rot, and there’s still going to be some remaining moisture.
Carpenter ant gravitate to this decayed, rotten wood to build their nests. Whether that’s a dead tree stump, wall void, or sub-floor insulation, they find a cosy spot that works for them and start building! Learn more about why we get carpenter ants.
How did carpenter ants get their name?
Yeah, why are carpenter ants called ‘carpenter’ ants?
As you might have suspected, it’s closely related to the profession of a Carpenter. One who loves to carve, cut, fit, and create designs with all things wood.
They burrow deep into wood beams, doors, windows, trim, cabinets, carving out tunnels creating galleries. From here they’ll set up camp building nests and getting to work on those damp beams, frames, doors.. without you ever realising they are there!
Common Questions about Carpenter Ants
Lifecycle and Behaviour of Carpenter Ants
Let’s take a closer look at the behaviour and habits of the carpenter ant.
Fun Fact: Carpenter ants don’t actually eat wood.
It’s interesting to note that unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t actually eat the wood as they’re not able to digest cellulose; instead they prefer dead insects, honeydew from aphids, plant secretions, and even rotting fruit.
It’s interesting to note that unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t actually eat the wood, they simply excavate it to build tunnels and chambers for their colonies.
As they’re not able to digest cellulose; carpenter ants instead they prefer dead insects, honeydew from aphids, plant secretions, and even rotting fruit.
Carpenter ants in the Metro Vancouver region are generally most active between April and October (although they can groggily appear as early as late January), and the ant trails (the routes used to travel to food sources) are used most frequently by the worker ants after sunset and through the night, although they can be seen on the trails at all hours of the day.
Spotting ants during the winter months at home could actually be the sign of a major structural infestation. It means that there could be a colony somewhere in your home, likely in a warm, moisture rich area trying to ride out the winter!
If you spot these ant in spring or summer, we’ll first need to determine where they are coming from. if you spot one, follow him and see where he leads you to. If you could see them on a regular basis during the spring then it’s time to take action!
Spotting a large number of winged ants inside of your home is a clear sign that a nest exists in your home.
Parent nests must maintain a good level of moisture for the queens eggs to survive. A parent (or primary) nest can have many satellite nests. Satellite nests do not contain eggs and therefore do not require moisture. This enables carpenter ant colonies to have multiple satellite nests within an individual structure.
Carpenter ant colonies build a primary nest – where they lay the eggs – and satellite nests. When conditions are right – normally warm and humid – winged females and males will take flight and perform a nuptial dance. Once the mating has concluded, the males die and the new queens drop their wings, venture off in search of moist wood in which to begin a new colony. Then the new carpenter ant queen lays her first eggs and the cycle of colony building begins anew.
Quite often, they tend to have multiple nests, a parent colony and satellite colonies. So even if you find and eliminate one nest, that doesn’t mean you’ve got them all. A single carpenter ant queen can live for 15 years or more(:o), and will lay 70,000 eggs in that time. The battle against carpenter ants can often turn into a grinding war of attrition.
Fun fact: Are your garden plants attracting Carpenter Ants?
Carpenter ants love the sweet stuff, and have a real knack for finding it.
Carpenter ants do not typically feed on plants, as they are primarily carnivorous insects that feed on other insects, dead animals, and sugary substances. However, they may occasionally be attracted to certain plants that produce nectar or sap, such as peonies, flowering shrubs, and fruit trees.
Flowering perennials like Peonies produce large, showy blooms in shades of pink, red, and white as well as nectar that may attract carpenter ants. They just cannot resist these sweet-smelling flowers.
Clematis vines are really nice when they flower in the summertime but they provide a favourite tasty treat for carpenter ants, high in carbohydrates. Also, there are many types of flowering shrubs that produce nectar and may be attractive to carpenter ants. Examples include lilacs, hydrangeas, butterfly bushes, and azaleas.
How to get rid of carpenter ants
That’s the ultimate question isn’t it?
As Zack mentioned in the earlier video, Carpenter ants are notorious for finding a way back into the structure and getting around perimeter sprays.
That’s why we have to treat things like any pieces of wood connected to the structure, fence lines, and that sort of thing. That’s also why we tell people to cut vegetation back from their house, because it’s a common pathway where ants can walk up a branch and onto the roof.
Spraying with insecticides or repellants isn’t the most useful way to go as sprayed-on insecticides will only kill the carpenter ants that are exposed to the killing agent. While you may kill a bunch of them, you actually risk having the queen go into reproductive overdrive to repopulate the colony, which could well make the original problem bigger than it was.
As well, ants can sense most of the chemical repellents, so they simply learn to avoid the deadly toxins. If the spray comes too near the nest, the workers will simply move the eggs to a new location.
Check out our other post about how to get rid of carpenter ants for good!
Sign you have carpenter ants
These ants will make nests inside of your wooden structures. Typically they will target slightly damp or moldy wood, which is common in spaces that experience moisture problems. Keep an eye out for signs of excess moisture such as staining, cracking, or rotting wood inside or outside the home.
Ever see bits of sawdust clinging to cobwebs on the side of your house, or resting on the concrete below the fascia? Carpenter ant workers are tireless, constantly working on building nests or foraging for food. You’ll see carpenter ant workers traipsing across your floorboards, or driveway, across overhead power lines, climbing up the side of your house and of course, foraging in the garden. Learn more about spotting a carpenter ant infestation.
Pro Tip: Locating the nest is the essential
You will have carpenter ants issues where there’s moisture. Most problems are caused by leaks, humidity issues, and poor maintenance.
To fully get rid of the problem, you need to get to the nest. In most cases, you’re going to probably need a professional to help with it, but otherwise you’re really going to want to start drilling and injecting into the wall voids try to figure out where the parent nest is. Good detection and identification is key.
Read the full post about locating the carpenter ant nest.
Damage caused by Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are a real menace! They can cause some serious damn to your home if left uncontrolled, and without you even noticing.
Go check out our post with more cool images and videos of the carpenter ant damage to homes.
How to Treat Carpenter Ants
Effective carpenter ant treatments require the use of specialised equipment and solutions to target the nest directly.
TREATMENT
Treatment begins with drilling ¼” holes every 16” in active and adjacent areas on each level. Lower holes (12” above sill plate) are injected with a wood preservative to create an uninhabitable environment for ants, while upper holes (48” above sill plate) receive borate dust to eliminate ants nesting along expansion joints.
An exterior perimeter spray with a permethrin-based product targets decks, patios, and walkways (avoiding gardens and grass) to stop ants immediately. High activity areas are then treated with a powerful aerosol to knock down parent colonies and satellite nests, followed by a secondary perimeter spray with a longer-lasting synthetic permethrin. All drilled holes are sealed with paintable silicone, to be painted by the homeowner.
POST-TREATMENT INSTRUCTIONS
Expect full results in 2-3 weeks. Keep windows closed for 30 minutes after treatment and avoid using sprinklers for 2 hours. Children and pets should stay indoors during and for 30 minutes after treatment. Vacate rooms adjacent to treated walls during and for 2 hours post-treatment. Drilled holes will be patched with silicone for the homeowner to paint.
READ MORE – How To Treat A Carpenter Ant Nest
Did you know?
Investigating Carpenter Ant Tunnels
The tunnels created by carpenter ants often can’t be seen because the activity takes place inside of the wood. If you suspect there are ants in a particular piece of wood, tap it and then listen for the tell-tale rustling sounds you can often hear if you listen hard enough – kind of a “snap crackle pop” (Rice Crispies) Oh, and if you see large, winged ants crawling out of the wood on your home, it’s as sure a sign as you can get that the ants have set up a parent nest.
Another important tell to determine whether you have carpenter ants or termites is to have a look at the tunnels in the wood if you are able. If there’s mud or dirt in the tunnels, it means you have termites, because carpenter ants like tidy passageways.
Carpenter Ants Resources
We have a few more resources that you might enjoy, and we also have some great content on YouTube too. Clicks a link and navigate to a page.
- 7 seriously cool carpenter ant facts
- Carpenter ant control stories from Reddit
- Carpenter Ant Videos
- BC Government Carpenter Ant resource
- Day in the life of a Carpenter Ant Pro (video)
- What Type Of Ants Do You Have
And When in Doubt, Call the Carpenter Ant Pros
After a few simple questions, free estimates can be given over the phone for carpenter ant control and removal in Metro Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and Fraser Valley. Chat online with an expert, or call 604-559-9060, or contact Westside Pest Control by email.