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Carpenter ants are among the largest ants found in the United States, ranging from 5/8 to 3/4 inches long. Their color varies from black, brown and black, red and black, to light brown depending on the species. Most common are black. The queens are the largest ants in the colony and the workers in an established colony will be of two sizes.
Carpenter ants do not eat wood but instead construct their nests in wood such as hollow trees, stumps, logs, posts, landscaping timers, and the lumber used in homes and other structures. Chewing an interconnecting series of tunnels and cavities makes nests. Wood is removed as coarse sawdust-like material that is pushed from the nest. The sawdust may include other debris such as dead ants and parts of insects and other food.
Carpenter ants found indoors in the winter usually come from nests somewhere within the house. Ants found indoors during spring or summer could be invaders wandering in from outdoors or they may be foragers from a nest in the wall or ceiling.
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