Carpenter Ant Alate

Scientific Name: Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Order & Family: Order: Hymenoptera, Family: Formicidae

Size: 12 to 18 mm (approx. 0.5 to 0.7 inches) for winged reproductive swarmers.

Carpenter Ant Alate

Natural Habitat

Typically found in moist or decaying wood, such as tree stumps, logs, and structural wood in buildings.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous; adults consume honeydew from aphids, plant juices, and other insects. They do not eat wood.

Behavior Patterns

Alates (winged swarmers) emerge during the spring and summer to participate in nuptial flights for mating. After mating, females lose their wings to found new colonies.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits include aerating soil and breaking down decaying wood in nature. Risks include structural damage to homes as they tunnel through wood to create nesting galleries.

Identified on: 5/29/2026