Carpenter ants are the most common ant pest found in the Northeastern United States.
They cause structural damage when they excavate wood for nest sites.
Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood, but rather scavenge on dead insects and collect sugary secretions (“honeydew”) produced by other insects such as aphids. Carpenter ants are a nuisance pest when workers are spotted inside foraging for food and when winged swarmers are found inside.
Find out how to stop them in our Don’t Let Carpenter Ants Renovate Your Home! fact sheet and for more general information on ants, check out our ants page in What’s Bugging You?.