Carpenter Ant

Forests, woodlands, and urban areas; nests in dead wood, tree stumps, and structural timbers.

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

Nocturnal foragers that create smooth galleries inside wood for nesting; they exhibit a complex social caste system.

Benefits the ecosystem by aiding in the decomposition of dead wood; can be a structural pest by damaging wooden buildings.