What Do Carpenter Ants Look Like?

Many people are familiar with ants as they are one of the most common insects, and most people don't consider them to be a threat. However, carpenter ants can do a bit more damage than a regular ant, so it is important to know what carpenter ants look like.

Although many people think that all ants look alike, this is not the case. There are many different species of ants that each possess certain characteristics.  Carpenter ants, for example, are some of the most varied ants in nature. They come in different colors and sizes, and they are a very interesting species of ant to study.

• Carpenter ants come in different colors such as black, dark brown and red or a combination of these colors.  
• The bodies of carpenter ants are composed of a very identifiable waist with a node or a thorax.
• The worker ants look different from the queen.
• The queen carpenter ant is usually bigger in size when compared to other insects, and she has wings. 
• Even when analysing the worker ants there are variations between the smaller minor carpenter worker ants and the major carpenter ants.

Sizes and Traits of Various Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are considered to be polymorphic. This means that carpenter ants come in different sizes, which are usually characterized by how the carpenter ant functions within the ant colony.

• The different types of carpenter ants are arranged in castes which include the queen, the winged male and the major and minor worker.
• The queen carpenter ant is the largest of all the ants and can grow in size up to an inch.
• The other ants within the colony can range in size from 3/8 to 1/2 inch.
• The carpenter ants that are capable of reproduction can be identified by the presence of their wings. 
• Oftentimes, the winged carpenter ants are mistaken for termites, but winged carpenter ants are seen more often than termites.  Furthermore, while both of these insects may have wings, they are shaped differently. In comparison to termites, the carpenter ants  have elbowed antennae, a very narrow waist and shorter back wings.

Important Facts About Carpenter Ants

There are a number of reasons why people may want to be informed about carpenter ants and why it is important to know how to answer the question of what carpenter ants look like.

• These type of ants feed on a variety of items.
• They mainly eat foods that are high in proteins and sugars such as sugary foods and meats.
• Some people think that carpenter ants feed on wood, but this is not the case.
• Carpenter ants choose to nest in areas that are moist such as decaying wood. When people see how the wood is removed they may assume that the carpenter ants are eating the wood, but this is not the case.  They simply remove the wood in order to create tunnels. 

So, now you know what carpenter ants look like and how to identify them. If you are concerned about the damage that carpenter ants may cause to wooden structures, you should seek the assistance of a trained pest control professional.