What Ants Eat Wood?
WouterSeveral types of ants eat wood. Carpenter ants are the most common of these. These insects create nests in wood and can threaten the structural integrity of trees and homes. These insects are attracted to moisture and feed on insects, sugar and meat. They also excavate dry voids in wood.
Carpenter ants usually have one wingless queen. They are black or dark red in color. Carpenter ant colonies can have up to fifteen thousand workers. Carpenter ants can be found throughout North America.
Carpenter ants are social hymenopteran insects. They have a four-stage life cycle. After three years, a reproductive female emerges from the nest. She then looks for a suitable nesting location. She then calls other worker ants to construct the nest. These ants have strong mandibles and teeth.
Carpenter ants feed on dead insects, plant juices, sugar and proteins. They are also predators of defoliating insects. Carpenter ants have a obligate bacterial endosymbiont called Blochmannia. This endosymbiont is a tiny genome that retains genes for biosynthesis of nutrients and essential amino acids.
Carpenter ants are found outdoors, but they can also live indoors. Carpenter ants are a member of the genus Camponotus. Carpenter ants are polymorphic, meaning that they have different color patterns. They can be black, red or brown. The color of their wings may vary from red to black.
Carpenter ants can cause structural damage to buildings, as they chew through wood to create their nests. They leave piles of sawdust near their nests.
