Ant Information
Main Characteristics
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Carpenter Ant
Carpenter ants are usually ¼ to ½ inch in size, and are one of the larger ants that invade homes. Despite appearances, they do not actually eat the wood, they tunnel through it to create galleries-their homes-and can do considerable 
damage. They will infest dead trees, telephone poles, and houses but can also be found in lawns. Since they do not actually eat the wood, their food is really other insects, juices, and they have a particular fondness for anything sweet. They are liquid feeders and unable to swallow solid foods, so they chew the solids until it can be swallowed. Adult Carpenter Ants have the ability to bite. Each colony has one queen, who lays only a few eggs that become minor workers, who then go out and forage to feed the queen and the young. A colony may eventually contain over 3,000 workers. When they get into houses, damage can be severe and require extensive repairs.
Life Cycle:
Females lay eggs in chambers of galleries, which hatch into larvae in about 24 days. The larvae mature into pupa in 21 days. Pupa are encased in cocoons, which are commonly called ant eggs. The pupal stage is also 21 days, so the minimum time from egg to adult is 66 days.
