Q: "Should I worry
about finding a few carpenter ants inside our
house?"
A: Usually
not. At certain times of the year carpenter
ant nests located outside but near houses release
large numbers of winged ants (left, above) that are
capable of flying in through open doors and windows.
The presence of these ants indoors is no reason for
concern. If more than a few ants are found
indoors, however, there may be a nest, or nests, in
the walls.
Q: "Should I worry
about finding a few carpenter ants outdoors?"
A: No.
In many areas carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.)
are very common. It is therefore not unusual to
encounter these large ants outdoors. The key point
here is if they seem to be moving
in a directed way either toward or away from the
house. This "trailing" behavior may
indicate a nest located inside the home. Otherwise,
finding ants outside should be no concern (see Related Articles
below).
