Black Carpenter Ant

Natural Habitat

Woodlands and residential areas, typically nesting in damp or decaying wood including logs, stumps, and structural timbers of buildings.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous; they eat honeydew produced by aphids, plant juices, and other insects. They do not eat wood but excavate it for nesting.

Behavior Patterns

They are primarily nocturnal and establish complex social colonies with a single queen. They communicate via pheromones and are known for carving smooth galleries in wood.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits include aerating soil and accelerating wood decomposition in nature. Risks include structural damage to homes if nests are established in building timbers, though they do not sting or transmit disease to humans.

Identified on: 6/1/2026