Carpenter Ant Alate (Queen/Winged Swarmer)

Nests in moist, decaying wood such as logs, stumps, or structural timbers in buildings.

Omnivorous; they eat honeydew produced by aphids, nectar, and other insects, but do not eat wood.

Winged reproductives (alates) emerge in spring or summer for nuptial flights to mate and start new colonies.

Benefits include aerating soil and decomposing wood; risks include potential structural damage to homes if nests are built in wet wood.