Small windows or slit-like openings that carpenter ants cut into infested wood. Swarmers are the winged reproductives that take flight in the spring. Look for them trapped in spider webs, on window ledges or in light fixtures. Worker carpenter ants are active mostly at night, so you may not see any activity during normal working hours. Even if you do, it does not mean that the nest is nearby.
Worker ants can travel up to the length of a football field booking food.
Clicking or rustling sounds can sometimes be heard coming from carpenter ant nests. If you identify a potential nest site, try tapping against it with a screwdriver. Wood damaged by carpenter ants contains galleries that are very clean and smooth. The first sign of a carpenter ant infestation is usually the sighting of numerous workers throughout the home. However, the presence of workers alone is not conclusive evidence that a colony is established within a structure.