Carpenter Ant Reproductives (Swarmers)

Natural Habitat

Typically found in forested areas nesting in dead wood, logs, and stumps; they can also nest in structural timber of buildings containing moisture.

Diet & Feeding

They do not eat wood but chew through it to create galleries. Their diet includes proteins like living/dead insects and carbohydrates like honeydew, fruit juices, and nectar.

Behavior Patterns

The winged individuals (alates) emerge in large numbers during 'nuptial flights' to mate and establish new colonies, typically in spring or early summer.

Risks & Benefits

They are beneficial to ecosystems as decomposers of wood; however, they pose a risk to human structures as they can cause significant damage to building foundations and wooden supports.

Identified on: 6/8/2026