Ant farms were popular in the past as a way to study an ant colony. Carpenter ant colonies are complex social systems in which each ant has a specific role. The carpenter ant queen is more than just the ruler of the colony. She lays eggs that produce future generations for the colony and for new colonies. A carpenter ant queen can live up to 25 years. During her lifespan, she can lay thousands of eggs. In general, a colony only has one queen, but there have been instances when a colony became so big that it has two or even three queens. If you have carpenter ants, you may want to contact Truly Nolen for carpenter ant pest control in Cambridge to ensure you take care of the entire nest.

Understanding Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are some of the largest pest ants in the United States. These types of ants hollow out wood to create a nest. They are a nuisance, but they can damage wood in the home. Worker ants, the males of the species, are black and wingless. They can grow up to about ½-inch long. The queens get a little bigger, from ½-inch to 5/8-inch long. Queens can be dark brown, red, yellow or black.

What Is the Role of the Worker Ants?

Adult workers take on many roles. They forage for food. The adult worker ants are responsible for expanding the nest. They care for the queen and the developing ants. A colony can have up to 10,000 ants. About 10% of these ants go outside the nest to find food. Carpenter ants tend to be busier from the spring to the fall. During the winter, carpenter ants may be dormant, but it depends on the nest’s temperatures. Nests that are indoors can be more active.

What Makes the Queen So Important?

The carpenter ant queen is the fertile member of the colony. She can produce ants to keep the colony going. Just killing off the workers that you see doesn’t keep the ants from damaging the wood. You have to get to the carpenter ant queen to destroy the nest. The problem is that the queen is well-protected by the worker ants. Carpenter ants are nocturnal, making it more difficult to find the nest. The nest can be up to 100 yards away from where the ants are trailing. In addition, finding the main nesting site is paramount to identifying where the queen is. Ants are small and can hide and disappear into small places.

Signs of Carpenter Ants

You may actually see workers as part of an infestation, but the presence of ants doesn’t mean you have an ant colony. Sometimes, you may see scouts that are seeking food. Carpenter ants prefer moist or damaged wood to create their nest. They gnaw the wood to create a nest, rather than eating the wood like termites. If you have a colony in your home, you may see winged ants in your ceiling or woodwork. Sometimes, you can even hear rustling noises inside your walls. You’d be surprised how loud 10,000 ants can be. Carpenter ants leave wood shavings outside their nest. These shavings look like scraps from pencil sharpening. If you see evidence of pests, it’s important to correctly identify the pest. Carpenter ants and termites are often confused because they have similar characteristics. Treatment for each pest is quite different.

To control carpenter ants, you should contact a professional exterminator. Truly Nolen can help you identify the pests in your home, mitigate the problem and prevent future re-infestation. Contact us for carpenter ant removal in Cambridge and schedule an inspection.