WSU CAHNRS and WSU Extension

Pestsense

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Pest
(factsheet)
Pest NameDescription 
Carpenter antsCarpenter antsCarpenter ants are large ants and can be 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch in length. They are black or red and black in color. They are a pest because they commonly make nests in homes. Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they will excavate it for nesting and occasionally cause structural weakening. They will also nest in insulation. A carpenter ant colony can have two kinds of nests. The parent nest with the queen, eggs, larvae, and workers, is usually located outside away from the house in a stump or log. A satellite nest may form when worker ants move into a house. Satellite nests do not have a functioning queen and can not reproduce. Many home infestations are satellite nests. Carpenter ant mating swarms generally occur from April-early June.