Carpenter Ant

Woodlands, gardens, and residential areas; often nests in decaying wood, logs, or structural wood in buildings.

Opportunistic omnivores; they eat honeydew produced by aphids, plant juices, and other insects. They do not eat wood, but excavate it to create nests.

Highly social insects with a caste system (queen, workers, soldiers, and winged reproductives). Most active at night. They exhibit trail-following behavior and go through complete metamorphosis.

Benefits include aeration of soil and decomposition of dead wood. Risks include potential structural damage to homes if nests are established in building timbers; they can also deliver a painful bite if handled, though they have no stinger.