Red, yellow, or very small ants are of different species. Pharaoh Ant uneven thorax two nodes Life cycle During late May or early June winged carpenter ants leave the colony in swarms to mate. After mating, the queen will tear off her wings and search for a nesting site. Grub-like larvae hatch, and the queen feeds them with fluid secreted from her mouth. It takes 2- 10 months for a larva to complete development, spin a silken cocoon, and emerge as a small wingless worker ant.
Workers born in the first brood collect food, enlarge the nest, and tend the next newborns.
The larvae are helpless and depend on the workers for protection and nourishment. It will then produce 10-400 winged ants, called kings and queens, that will emerge and swarm during the spring. If the nest is indoors, the swarm can occur anytime, even in winter. The larger the swarm, the stronger the colony. Damage Carpenter ants excavate small tunnels and galleries in soft wood or foam insulation.