What Are Carpenter Ants?

Carpenter ants are a large species of ant. They are considered one of the largest species of household-invading ants and one of the most common structural pests. Carpenter ants live and work together in large colonies. Carpenter ant workers grow to about ½ of an inch in length, while queens can reach 1 inch in length. These ants are usually black, red, or a combination of black and red in color. Carpenter ants have large, powerful mandibles that they use to tunnel through wood they have invaded to create nesting sites. Carpenter ants, unlike termites, do not feed on the wood they have invaded, they only nest inside it.