They can be distinguished from most other large ant species because the top of the thorax is evenly convex and bears no spines. The acrobat ants , Crematogaster sp., also occasionally nest in wood. These ants are much smaller and have a heart-shaped abdomen that is often held up over their bodies. Development from egg to worker ant occurs in about 2 months. Winged forms swarm during May through late July.
Mouthparts are for chewing.
Ant colonies are often located in cracks and crevices between structural timbers, but the ants can also tunnel into structural wood to form nesting galleries. They often appear to prefer moist, decaying wood, wood with dry rot or old termite galleries. However, damage is often limited because these ants tunnel into wood only to form nests and do not eat wood. Tunnel walls are clean and smooth. These piles accumulate as the nests are excavated and usually also contain parts of dead colony members.