Where Does Carpenter Ants Come From?
WouterSeveral types of carpenter ants can be found around the world. They are omnivores, meaning they eat both proteins and carbohydrates. They feed on meat, plant nectars, and insect secretions.
Carpenter ants may build nests in buildings and trees, although most live in the wood of old and dead trees. They prefer damp wood, such as rotting logs and decaying timber.
Carpenter ants also live in homes, and they are attracted to leaky pipes and moisture. They may hide in walls and air conditioning units. They are also attracted to moist conditions, like around showers and leaky roof shingles. They are also attracted to pet food left out in bowls. They may even raid kitchens for syrupy ingredients.
Carpenter ants are social insects, meaning they live in large colonies. Each colony has a queen and workers. The queen usually seals herself in a chamber and feeds the workers with salivary glands. A queen carpenter ant usually lays only one batch of eggs.
The queen carpenter ant’s body is divided into a head, thorax, and abdomen. She is usually 13 to 25 millimeters in length, and is slightly larger than the worker ants. During mating, the queen carpenter ant loses her wings and becomes a wingless female. She then waits until the eggs hatch before she starts the colony’s life cycle.
The carpenter ant’s life cycle can last up to 25 years. In the first year, a colony of carpenter ants may lay 9 to 16 eggs. They will then regurgitate food for the developing larvae. After three years, a male and female carpenter ant emerge. These carpenter ants are responsible for mating, breeding, and building new colonies.
