how large is an ant colony and it's tunnels
Imported Fire Ants October 01, 2015. Fire ants live in an extensive network of tunnels in the soil. How deep this network extends into the ground depends on age and size of the colony, soil texture, and depth of the water table. Tunnels in fire ant nests have been found to a depth of 10 feet or more, but most tunnels are shallower, starting just beneath the soil surface. Colonies in clay soils have deeper tunnels than those in sandy soils.
Carpenter ants are the largest of the house-infesting ants. Workers within the colony range in size from about 3/16 to 5/8 inches in length. Color varies among species, although black seems to be predominant. Carpenter ants, like termites, tend to prefer wood that is partially decayed by wood rot.