The information on this site is valid for southeastern Nebraska. It may or may not apply in your area.
Carpenter ants are generally jet black, but there are some species that are reddish in color.
Mature colonies produce winged reproductive ants at any time, but the majority develop in August and September. Surviving pairs attempt to establish new colonies. The diet of carpenter ants is quite varied and includes living and dead insects, honey-dew from aphids, sweets, meat, and fats. They do not eat wood. Foraging workers collect all the food for the colony.