The Carpenter Ant is a very beneficial insect that aids in the decomposition of fallen trees, but what they can’t do is distinguish the difference between decaying wood in the forest and wood damage in your home. Seeking out moist environments for refuge, these large ants cut tunnels into wood for passageways known as galleries. Unlike Termites, Carpenter Ants do not digest wood for food consumption. Known as “frass”, these ants will discard of wood shavings they removed when conducting their extensive tunnels.
These ants are known to forage in the darkness where they prey upon dead insect carcasses and honeydew nectar on plants produced by aphids. In addition to the food they find in nature, Carpenter Ants enjoy many of the sweets we humans indulge in like honey, juice, and syrup. Dusk would be the ideal time to spot these ants at work, but you can also look under windowsills, decks, and roof eaves. These ants gravitate to moist wood, so any areas of your home that meet water throughout the year are good spots to check for frass left behind.
