Carpenter Ants in Georgia
red appearing head and thorax and a shiny black abdomen. Size can vary in carpenter ants from ¼ to ½ inch so size alone is not the best factor in ant identification. Again, carpenter ants are the largest of the pest ants in Georgia. Today, I am going to share information on the biology of carpenter ants and give some control tips if you are having a problem. I will be using information from a publication by Dr. Dan Suiter, UGA Entomologist.
Carpenter ants are active now in Georgia. They become active as early as March and can stay active in the landscape till October. When the weather gets cold, carpenter ants will slow down and actually hibernate in their nesting area. You will normally see carpenter ants in areas with a good amount of mature hardwood trees. You can see carpenter ants in the day, but they are more active at night.
Carpenter ants will pick up activity soon after sundown. Their night activity is pretty simple, search for food. Carpenter ants can travel several hundred feet from their nesting spot. Carpenter ants will make semi-permanent trails from the nest to the area they are collecting food. The ant colony can even use these trails for years. The main feeding areas are in the top of trees on sugar enriched honeydew from aphids and scale insects that are feeding on tree sap. Honeydew is actually pure sugar that is deposited from aphids and scale insects in spring and summer. Honeydew is a big part of carpenter ant food supply.
Knowing where carpenter ants will nest is key in the control of carpenter ants. They can make nests inside and outside the home. They can nest in moisture damaged areas around chimneys, skylights, under bathtubs, inside dishwashers, in wall voids under window sills, inside hollow doors and door frames, under fiberglass insulation in crawlspaces, wood porch supports and columns, under siding and wood shingles and water damaged eaves according to Suiter. In fact, any area with moisture damage can be a nesting site for carpenter ants. The wet wood is easier to chew. The wet wood along with warm temperatures help colony growth and survival.
Carpenter ants outside a structure can be found in hardwood trees that have treeholes. Carpenter ants like to use the treeholes as nesting spots. Carpenter ants will chew the dead wood to create nesting sites. The treeholes have a perfect environment which is humid plus constant temperature and also protected from natural predators. Outside the home, black carpenter ants will almost entirely nest in hollow places in trees. The Florida carpenter ant will nest in hollows, but will also under debris on the ground such as cardboard boxes, logs or even roofing shingles.
The key to eliminating a carpenter ant infestation is to find the nest and remove it. You can do with by use of a vacuum or with an insecticide. You will have to investigate inside and outside the home. If you are seeing ants on the inside of the home, you can try to follow a few ants. They may help you narrow down the nesting site. Suiter states you can tap the void that may be housing the nest. You should be able to hear them moving around after you tap that area. You can also look for chewed wood that will look like sawdust. You may find dead ants or parts of prey insects in this material. Note that some carpenter ants that you see in the home may actually be nesting outside. If investigating outside of the home, look at larger trees. Remember, carpenter ants are active after sundown so you may need to wait till then and need a flashlight. You can also look for the semi-permanent trails. If you are going to go the insecticide route, you have to use the right product for the right situation. Dust, aerosols, baits, liquid insecticides and perimeter treatments may be options. Again, it depend on where they are nesting and the situation. Prevention of carpenter ant problems can be first, eliminating excessive moisture inside the home such as fixing leaks can help. Also, even pruning tree limbs away from the home can limit foraging ants from entering the house. For more information, contact UGA Extension- Gordon County at 706-629-8685 or email gbowman@uga.edu.