Carpenter Ant Alate

Woodlands, forest edges, and inside wooden structures or damp wood within homes.

Omnivorous; they eat honeydew produced by aphids, plant juices, and other insects. They do not eat wood.

This is a winged reproductive (alate or swarmer). They emerge in spring or early summer to mate and establish new colonies. They are primarily nocturnal.

Benefits include aerating soil and decomposing wood in nature. Risks include structural damage to homes as they tunnel through wood to create nests.