Royal Alberta Museum: Invertebrate Zoology - Bug Facts

[Caterpillars and Other Immature Insects]

Fact Sheets: Commonly Observed and Asked About Insects and Spiders Found in Alberta

Carpenter Ants (Camponotus spp.)

Carpenter Ant
Photo CD 0023 3291 1601, Image #01 - Credit: Terry Thormin

Carpenter Ant nest with larvae and pupae
Photo CD 0023 3291 1601, Image #02 - Credit: Terry Thormin

INTRODUCTION

Carpenter ants are the one group of ants in Alberta that are capable of doing structural damage to buildings. These ants build their nests in rotting wood by excavating chambers and tunnels in the wood. They only attack rotting wood and do not eat the wood, so they are only a threat to old wooden buildings where they generally do minimal damage.

IDENTIFICATION

These are the largest ants in Alberta, workers being about 12 mm long. The most commonly seen species is all black.

DISTRIBUTION

Carpenter Ants are found throughout Alberta in wooded areas.

TIME OF YEAR

Carpenter Ants become active in the spring as soon as the weather starts to warm up. They remain active throughout the summer and into the fall. As the days get colder, the colony gradually goes deeper underground, and eventually all activity ceases and the colony remains dormant until the next spring.

HABITAT AND HABITS

As stated earlier, these ants do not eat wood, but rather excavate their galleries in wood, often in an old dead tree stump. They seem to need wood to establish the colony, but as the colony gets larger, the galleries are often built deep in the ground away from the wood. They are generalist feeders, eating a wide variety of things. Once a year the queens of the colonies produce winged reproductives of both sexes. These individuals leave the colonies in large numbers and fly high in the air where they mate. Both sexes then come back to earth where the males quickly die, their mission accomplished. The females, however, drop their wings, go underground and become queens of a new colony.

SIMILAR SPECIES

There are three species of Carpenter Ants in Alberta. As well there are a number of Wood Ants in the genus Formica that are quite large and could be mistaken for Carpenter Ants. They are smaller, however, ranging from 4 to 8 mm long. Queens of Wood Ants can be up to 12 mm long, but they are winged.

COMMENTS

On occasion I get phone calls from people who are convinced that they have termites in their homes. These generally prove to be Carpenter Ants. In most situations it is just a few individuals that have wandered in, looking for food. In rare cases the ants have built their galleries in the wooden foundation of an older house and are doing structural damage. One should be sure that this is the case before considering fumigating.

Note: We cannot provide advice on controlling insect pests. If you need more information beyond what has been provided here, we suggest you either search further on the web, or talk to a local exterminator.

[Royal Alberta Museum's Home Page] [Invertebrate Zoology]

For more information on this bug, please contact the Bug Room.
© Copyright 2000-2005, Royal Alberta Museum - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Last update: June 21 2005