Carpenter ants infest undisturbed piles of damp or rotting firewood stacked outside on the ground. They also nest in the rotting wood of trees. Do not store wood in damp basements or on the ground against the house. Fact Sheet 2063 provides information on locating nests and guidelines for control, Reference Ento.15. These termites are social insects that live in colonies in the soil.
Termites cause structural damage as workers feed on wood.
They chew wood and convert it to food for other colony members. Subterranean termites usually limit their attack to wood that is near soil. However, they may build tubes running from the soil to wood. These tubes are usually in protected basements, crawl spaces or in cracks in the foundation. Moisture is essential for their survival.