Wood scraps in dirt-filled slab porches. Do not confuse ordinary sawdust with carpenter ant debris. The latter has a shredded quality, resembling the shavings found in pencil sharpeners. Close examination of the debris reveals many parts of dead insects. These are not always present, since the ants may use an existing crack.
Ants frequently forage in kitchens, pantries, and other food storage areas.
They may also be found in bathrooms around sinks and tubs. Keep in mind, however, that even when a nest is established in the structural timbers, very few ants are seen inside the building. They are more active at night than during the day, and workers usually forage for food outdoors. The wood surfaces probably will not be paper-thin, as is frequently the case with termite damage, so detection is more difficult. Inspection outdoors Inspect the grounds.