What is a carpenter ant?

A carpenter ant is any of over 1,000 ant species from the genus Camponotus . They are known for nesting in dead or decaying wood. Carpenter ants are found worldwide in terrestrial habitats and are especially common in rainforests. These ants don't eat wood like termites; they tunnel into it with their strong mandibles to make nests. They then push the debris outside the nest. Carpenter ants are omnivores that consume sweet substances, insects, and human food. Each colony has queens, infertile female workers, and male drones. Workers are different sizes, with the largest defending the colony and foraging, and the smallest excavating the nest and tending to larvae. Carpenter ants in areas with zombie-ant fungus have developed adaptations such as social grooming to limit their exposure to the parasite.

What does a carpenter ant look like?

Carpenter ants vary in color depending on the species. They can be black, reddish, brown, tan, or yellow. Their bodies consist of a head with elbowed antennae, a thorax with a constricted waist, and a rounded abdomen. They do not sting. Carpenter ant colonies have three castes: * Fertile queens, up to 20 mm (0.8 inch) in length * Infertile female workers, the largest of which (majors) can be up to 12 mm (0.5 inch) in length * Male drones, which are smaller than the queens Carpenter ants are among the largest and most common ants in North America.

Where do carpenter ants usually live?

Carpenter ants live nearly worldwide and are known for nesting in dead or decaying wood. Most species build nests in dead standing trees, dead interiors of living trees, or tree stumps, though some species nest in the soil. They don't eat the wood; they tunnel into it with their strong mandibles to make nests. Carpenter ants are omnivores that consume sweet substances like flower nectar and honeydew. They also eat live and dead insects and scavenge human food. These ants play an important role in the decomposition of dead wood and are an essential element in the food webs of many ecosystems.

How do carpenter ants build their nests?

Carpenter ants create nests by using their strong mandibles to tunnel into wood, pushing the debris outside, but unlike termites, they do not eat the wood. A single mated queen founds each colony. She excavates a small nest, sheds her wings, lays eggs, and tends to them. Once the eggs hatch into larvae, they develop into pupae and then into the first workers of the new colony. The first workers take over the duties of foraging for food and expanding the nest. As the colony expands, workers create satellite nests in drier wood for pupae, larvae, and other workers. After a few years, winged virgin queens and male drones appear. They mate, the males die, and the mated queens search for nest sites to begin their own colonies.

How are carpenter ants different from termites?

Carpenter ants and termites differ significantly in their behavior and diet. Carpenter ants, belonging to the genus Camponotus , are known for nesting in dead or decaying wood but, unlike termites, they do not consume wood. Instead, they tunnel into the wood to create nests, pushing the debris outside. Termites, on the other hand, feed on wood. Carpenter ants are omnivores that consume sweet substances, insects, and human food. Carpenter ants are eusocial insects, meaning they live in highly structured colonies. Each colony is founded by a single queen. Within a colony, there are different sizes of workers, with the largest defending the colony and foraging for food, and the smallest excavating the nest and tending to larvae.

Why can carpenter ants be a problem for people and buildings?

Carpenter ants can be a problem for people and buildings because they nest in dead or decaying wood, which can cause extensive damage to human-built structures. They don't eat the wood like termites; instead, they tunnel into it to create nests. This tunneling can weaken the wood, making living trees more vulnerable to wind damage. Though carpenter ants play an important ecological role in the decomposition of dead wood, their presence in homes can be destructive.

carpenter ant

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Images

A black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus, stands on a green leaf with its antennae raised.

Six stages of ant development arranged in a row on a dark surface, from egg and larva to progressively darker pupae showing developing legs and body segments.

Illustration of a carpenter ant, Camponotus herculeanus pennsylvanicus, showing a dark, segmented body with six legs, bent antennae, and fine hairs along its body and limbs.

Quick Facts

Related Topics:: zombie-ant fungus; Eusocial species; honey ant

On the Web:: University of Wisconsin-Madison - Wisconsin Horticulture - Controlling carpenter ants (PDF) (Nov. 07, 2026)

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carpenter ant

insect

Also known as: Camponotus

Written by

Karen Sottosanti

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 7, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is a carpenter ant?
A carpenter ant is any of over 1,000 ant species from the genus Camponotus. They are known for nesting in dead or decaying wood. Carpenter ants are found worldwide in terrestrial habitats and are especially common in rainforests.

These ants don't eat wood like termites; they tunnel into it with their strong mandibles to make nests. They then push the debris outside the nest. Carpenter ants are omnivores that consume sweet substances, insects, and human food. Each colony has queens, infertile female workers, and male drones. Workers are different sizes, with the largest defending the colony and foraging, and the smallest excavating the nest and tending to larvae.

Carpenter ants in areas with zombie-ant fungus have developed adaptations such as social grooming to limit their exposure to the parasite.
2 Britannica Sources
1. zombie-ant fungus: Ant adaptations to limit infection
2. carpenter ant
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What does a carpenter ant look like?
Carpenter ants vary in color depending on the species. They can be black, reddish, brown, tan, or yellow. Their bodies consist of a head with elbowed antennae, a thorax with a constricted waist, and a rounded abdomen. They do not sting.

Carpenter ant colonies have three castes:
* Fertile queens, up to 20 mm (0.8 inch) in length
* Infertile female workers, the largest of which (majors) can be up to 12 mm (0.5 inch) in length
* Male drones, which are smaller than the queens

Carpenter ants are among the largest and most common ants in North America.
1 Britannica Source
1. carpenter ant: Physical description
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Where do carpenter ants usually live?
Carpenter ants live nearly worldwide and are known for nesting in dead or decaying wood. Most species build nests in dead standing trees, dead interiors of living trees, or tree stumps, though some species nest in the soil. They don't eat the wood; they tunnel into it with their strong mandibles to make nests.

Carpenter ants are omnivores that consume sweet substances like flower nectar and honeydew. They also eat live and dead insects and scavenge human food. These ants play an important role in the decomposition of dead wood and are an essential element in the food webs of many ecosystems.
1 Britannica Source
1. carpenter ant: Natural history
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do carpenter ants build their nests?
Carpenter ants create nests by using their strong mandibles to tunnel into wood, pushing the debris outside, but unlike termites, they do not eat the wood. A single mated queen founds each colony. She excavates a small nest, sheds her wings, lays eggs, and tends to them. Once the eggs hatch into larvae, they develop into pupae and then into the first workers of the new colony.

The first workers take over the duties of foraging for food and expanding the nest. As the colony expands, workers create satellite nests in drier wood for pupae, larvae, and other workers. After a few years, winged virgin queens and male drones appear. They mate, the males die, and the mated queens search for nest sites to begin their own colonies.
1 Britannica Source
1. carpenter ant: Natural history
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How are carpenter ants different from termites?
Carpenter ants and termites differ significantly in their behavior and diet. Carpenter ants, belonging to the genus Camponotus, are known for nesting in dead or decaying wood but, unlike termites, they do not consume wood. Instead, they tunnel into the wood to create nests, pushing the debris outside. Termites, on the other hand, feed on wood. Carpenter ants are omnivores that consume sweet substances, insects, and human food.

Carpenter ants are eusocial insects, meaning they live in highly structured colonies. Each colony is founded by a single queen. Within a colony, there are different sizes of workers, with the largest defending the colony and foraging for food, and the smallest excavating the nest and tending to larvae.
2 Britannica Sources
1. ant: Food
2. carpenter ant: Natural history
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why can carpenter ants be a problem for people and buildings?
Carpenter ants can be a problem for people and buildings because they nest in dead or decaying wood, which can cause extensive damage to human-built structures. They don't eat the wood like termites; instead, they tunnel into it to create nests. This tunneling can weaken the wood, making living trees more vulnerable to wind damage. Though carpenter ants play an important ecological role in the decomposition of dead wood, their presence in homes can be destructive.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

carpenter ant, (genus Camponotus), genus of more than 1,000 species of ants known for nesting in dead or decaying wood. Carpenter ants are found nearly worldwide in most terrestrial habitats and are particularly dominant in rainforest canopies. Ecologically, carpenter ants play an important role in the decomposition of dead wood and are an essential element in the food webs of many ecosystems. Economically, they can cause extensive damage to human-built structures, and living trees with carpenter ants inside are sometimes more vulnerable to wind damage.

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Tribe: Camponotini

Physical description

Depending on the species, carpenter ants have smooth or hairy black, yellow, brown, tan, reddish, or black and red bodies, which consist of a head with elbowed antennae, a thorax with a constricted waist, and a rounded abdomen. They do not sting. Like other ant species, each carpenter ant colony has three castes: fertile queens, infertile female workers, and male drones. Queens are up to 20 mm (0.8 inch) in length, and drones are smaller. The several types of workers vary in size. The largest workers, called majors, can be up to 12 mm (0.5 inch) in length and serve to defend the colony and forage for food. The smallest workers, known as minors, excavate the nest and tend to the colony’s larvae and pupae. Some species, such as Camponotus rufipes, C. herculeanus, and the Japanese carpenter ant (C. japonicus), have an intermediate-sized worker, known as media.

Carpenter ants are among the largest and most common ants in North America. Species of carpenter ant found in this region include the black carpenter ant (C. pennsylvanicus) and the western black carpenter ant (C. modoc).

Natural history

Carpenter ants are eusocial insects with a highly complex society that cooperates almost as a single unit. Each colony is founded by a single mated queen, who excavates a small nest and sheds her wings. Most species make their nests in dead standing trees, the dead interior of living trees, or tree stumps, although some species make nests in soil. Having selected her nest site, the young queen lays small, white, oval-shaped eggs and tends to them herself. The eggs hatch and develop into white, legless larvae that resemble fat worms or grubs. The larvae develop into white- to tan-colored, capsule-shaped pupae with the antennae and legs folded against the body. The pupae develop into adults: the first workers of the new colony.

To support the queen in her sole responsibility of egg-laying, the first workers take over all other duties of the colony, including foraging for food and excavating new tunnels and galleries to enlarge the nest. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not consume wood; instead, they use their strong mandibles to tunnel into wood, then push the debris outside the nest. As the colony grows, the workers establish satellite nests in drier wood for older larvae, pupae, and other workers. A large colony can develop in three to six years. After several years, winged virgin queens and male drones are produced in late spring to midsummer. After they are fully developed, they fly in nuptial swarms and mate in midair. The males die, and the mated queens then search for appropriate sites in which to found their own nests.

Carpenter ants are omnivores that often forage at night. They consume sweet substances, such as flower nectar and honeydew, a waste product excreted by aphids that consume plant sap. In addition, carpenter ants eat both live and dead insects and will scavenge human food.

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Zombie-ant fungus

The zombie-ant fungus (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis) is a largely pantropical fungus that primarily infects carpenter ants. The fungus gains access to an ant when its sticky spores attach to the insect’s body. The spores send out hyphae that penetrate the ant’s exoskeleton, eventually manipulating the insect’s movements. The fungus consumes the ant from the inside out and finishes by erecting a stalk that releases spores from the ant’s head.

Karen Sottosanti