Although most ants are recognizable, some forms of winged ants are often confused with termites, especially during the termite swarming season. The front pair of wings on ants are larger than the hind pair, while the four wings of termites are approximately the same size. Termites have the thorax and abdomen broadly connected and their antennae are straight and hair like. Carpenter ants are usually larger than most other house infesting ants. They vary in color from a dull black or reddish yellow color to a combination of black and dull red or reddishorange.
Carpenter ants tunnel into wood to form nest galleries.
If they go unnoticed for several years, they may cause structural damage. Outdoors, the ants use dead trees or tree limbs, stumps, logs or areas under stones as nesting sites. Once the carpenter ant nest has been located, control is relatively easy. Treatment options include use of a bait or residual contact insecticide applied as a dust or spray to the nest. Read and follow the product label for best results.