Carpenter ants are the most commonly found ants in and around homes. They can be found inside or outside a wooden structure. They are easily distinguished from termites by their slim waist, small hind wings and elbowed antennae. Carpenter ants can be variegated in size and color. However, large black ants with wings are the most frequently occurring variety. During the mating season, usually in the spring, large swarms of these ants can be found in an around housing structures.

These ants do not actually ingest wood. They excavate wood in form of sawdust like materials in order to nest. They breed and nest in moist, damp and hollow places that are dimly lit and away from sunlight. They are most active during the evening hours. These ants can cause structural damage. The extent of damage is not usually visible from the exterior. However carpenter ants are less notorious than termites in terms of the extent of damage.

Carpenter ants usually have a parent colony and several satellite colonies. The parent colony can be located within and outside the structure. A parent colony is comprised of one or several queens, broods, eggs and larva and worker ants. A satellite colony is comprised exclusively of worker ants. It is difficult to eliminate carpenter ants completely because of the improbability of finding all their nests. Most often sighting excavated wood is the most definite sign that a house is infested.

A few preventive measures to counter carpenter ants is to minimize wood (wooden structure) to soil contact, avoiding stacking wood near the walls of a house, keeping the structure free of holes and dampness, and minimizing contact of vegetation or trees near the structure.