The queen produces eggs for the rest of her life. The colony remains small during the first year, but in later years it grows rapidly, up to a maxi-mum of 2,000 to 3,000 ants. It usually takes 3 to 6 years for a colony to reach this size, at which time winged reproductives are produced. Upon reaching its mature size, the colony rarely grows larger, but workers are produced continually to replace ones that die or are lost. A mature colony produces 200 to 400 winged individuals each year.
Production drains colony resources, keeping ant numbers down.
Winged reproductives usually develop in late summer, overwinter in the nest and swarm in spring and early summer. Nesting sites Carpenter ants normally build their nests in hollow trees, logs, posts, landscaping timbers and wood used in homes and other structures. Unlike termites, they do not feed on wood but merely use it as a place in which to build a nest. They prefer moist or partially decayed wood, frequently entering existing cavities or void areas through cracks and crevices. The ants usually cut galleries with the grain of the wood, following the softer parts.