The way a black carpenter ant constructs their nest is how they come to have their moniker. They do this by the excavation of wood and the continuous formation of tunnels within it. And as the carpenter ants tunnel their way inside the wood, they make their nest. But ants do not eat it.
The Carpenter Ant
Camponotus is the scientific name that has been assigned to the black carpenter ant. These ants are large and indigenous. Specifically, they keep their primary home in forested areas. With their constant chewing, they can create their nest galleries. Meanwhile, workers use their mandibles to chew damaged wood. They prefer wet or moist woods. Unlike other species, black carpenter ants do not eat wood. However, the material they discard is like sawdust.
A colony of mature western black carpenter ants may have around 10-20,000 worker ants in it. Larger ones often have upwards of 50,000 ants or more.
What do black carpenter ants look like?
A colony typically consists of one queen and her workers. Specifically, the size of the queen is larger than the workers. She has a large thorax and is winged, while the workers have none. Certainly, the queen is black, with the hairs on her abdomen yellow. She measures around 1.2 centimeters in length (approximately a half-inch).
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Interesting Species or Pests?
How the black carpenter ant is viewed is determined by where their home is. They like to stay in a warm and cozy environment, but you can still see some ants in the winter. Where this ant species nests yearly determines whether they are expensive pests or insects of interest.
Where to find a carpenter ant nest?
Instinctively, the black carpenter ant will make its nest in the forest or dying pieces of wood. However, ants do not eat. Yet, they chew through the wood. And this process is one of the best ways to get the tunnels and cavities which make up the carpenter ants' nest.
What damage is caused by ants?
This activity is beneficial in that it aids in wood decomposition and the breaking up of timber that is decaying. It also gives black carpenter ants a reputation as pests because of the damage they do to the support beams of a structure. They make a rustling sound in the wall voids as it does wood damage to structures.
Ant Infestation in your House
To get rid of carpenter ants there are several things one should be aware of in regard to the existence of a carpenter ant infestation in the house. Another thing is to know what temperature kills carpenter ants. And besides many ant workers, several slight cavities may appear on the surface of the wood.
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The Galleries of an Ant Infestation
The areas of ant infestation may dislodge damaged wood that consists of sawdust shavings, dead insects, and insulation. So an excellent proof of an ant infestation is this debris as it accumulates under the openings. The black carpenter ants then make the inside wall of these galleries appear like they are sand-paper smooth. Thus, the ant carpenter maintains operating galleries and keeps the debris areas clean.
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Their Wrath
Carpenter ants like to damage the wood. Certainly, black carpenter ants prefer wood with water or fungus damage. For this reason, you should investigate the areas of your home for moisture since this is one of the best ways to find a carpenter ant infestation. And you can decide properly on what to do to get rid of carpenter ants in your house.
Carpenter Ant Nests
Black carpenter ant nests found inside a building or structure belong to satellite colonies to an outdoor nest. Thus, we must comprehend the management and organization of the black carpenter ant since one might find a satellite nest within a structure's wall void or hollow space.
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Is it a Nest or a Colony?
There is a difference between carpenter ant colonies and a carpenter ant nest. Thousands of ants are in a colony. But, when killing ants in yard to completely get rid of a carpenter ant infestation in your house, this is often treated like a single creature dedicated to reproduction and care of its young. Some of the colony does the building, while others collect food and defense.
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The Development of the Ant Embryo
The colony of carpenter ants has a queen and many workers. Naturally, life for the black carpenter ant starts as an egg. This egg has many stages of development. And as a larva, it depends on the workers to nourish and care for it. The workers then behave as a parent does, ensuring the larva advances at each stage of life.
Likewise, embryos grow to mature larvae and then advance into pupae. The adult is transformed and reorganized of its external and internal appearance.
What is Camponotus?
Camponotus or carpenter ants are big, indigenous insects, measuring 0.3 to 1.0 inches or 0.76 to 2.54 cm. Accordingly, carpenter ants are black or dark brown, making areas that are green and moist their home. They aid in forest decomposition due to wood excavation skills.
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Farming Aphids
Aphids are the ones who mostly sustain food for the carpenter ants. The process of farming them involves carpenter ants protecting them. Specifically, "honeydew" is the sweet fluid aphids emit. Similarly, carpenter ants use their antennae to caress the aphids to get them to release this sweet fluid.
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Know the Difference
Termites and black carpenter ants are similar. Certainly, they both create a lot of damage to wood. Yet, they are equal in size to other ants in the category of carpenter ants. Further, below are some differences in the physical appearance of these two:
- The primary difference is body shape. A carpenter ants center is narrow, whereas a termite has no distinct “waist”.
- The antennae on carpenter ants are elbow-shaped, and the termite's feelers are straight.
- Both are winged; both have four wings. However, this characteristic is different between them. The termites eat wood and are fragile-- lost ones can be found near the entrance of their nest. Large carpenter ant with wings is shorter in back and not disproportionate in size to their body.
- The worker has a reddish to dark-brown or black color. Termites are almost transparent, a creamy, light color.
Get Rid of Black Carpenter Ants in the House
The queen and her workers initiate a colony of monogyne species. Besides the wood damage these black carpenter ants create, there are many reasons to want to get rid of them. The pest control professional must locate the parent colony to eliminate them.
Carpenter ant nests found around a building are satellite nests. This nest is part of a parent nest located outside. The professional knows how to get rid of black carpenter ants invading house or any structure.
The pest control company you hire follows these steps to remove these pests from your home and property:
- The pest control professional may need to do a complete investigation of your property before they get started
- Exterminators use pesticides that are family-friendly to ensure the safest removal of these colonies
- Follow-up maintenance will be scheduled to make sure a recurring infestation around your home and property doesn’t happen
To get rid of black carpenter ants in your house, call Ant Pest Control for pest removal services.
