Carpenter ants, which belong to the genus Camponotus, are one of the most common kinds of ants in North America. People who own their own homes may worry about these insects because they are known to damage wood buildings. To get rid of carpenter ants and keep them from coming back, it’s important to be able to identify them correctly. In this piece, we will show you pictures of what a carpenter ant looks like so you can tell it apart from other kinds of ants.
1. Dimensions and colour:
Compared to other popular ant species, carpenter ants are pretty big. Most of the time, they are between 6 and 12 millimetres long. Their size can change based on what part they play in the colony. For example, the worker ants are smaller than the swarmers, which are the reproductive ants with wings.
Carpenter ants come in different colours, but most of them are a mix of black, red, and brown. Most of the time, the head and thorax are darker, while the belly is lighter. Some kinds have bodies that are reddish or yellowish.
2. Parts of the body:
Like all ants, carpenter ants have three parts to their bodies: the head, the thorax, and the belly.
The head is big and clear, and there are two stalks that stick out. These antennae are bent at an angle and made up of a number of small pieces. They are an important part of an ant’s sense of touch and help it find its way around and talk to other members of its colony.
The ant’s thorax is the part of its body in the middle. It joins the head to the abdomen. It is thinner than the head and has six legs connected to it. The legs are pretty long, which helps carpenter ants move quickly and gives them their name.
The abdomen is the biggest part of the body. It is where the digestive and reproductive processes are located. Carpenter ants store food in their bellies, which can make them look bigger when they are full.
3. Separating the antennas:
The amount of segments in their antennae is one of the most important things that sets carpenter ants apart from other kinds of ants. Carpenter ants have antennae with 12 segments, which is one way to tell them apart. This makes them different from ants like pavement ants and pharaoh ants, which have less segments on their antennae.
4. Swarmers, or winged ants that reproduce,
At certain times of the year, carpenter ant groups make swarmers, which are reproductive ants with wings. The look of these ants with wings is different from that of the working ants. Swarmers are bigger and have wings, which they use to mate and start a new group.
A carpenter ant nest might be close by if there are swarmers in a house. To tell carpenter ants apart from other ant species with similar worker ants but different reproductive stages, you need to be able to identify these flying ants.
5. Looks like it has hair:
If you look closely, you might notice that carpenter ants look a little hairy or fuzzy. These tiny hairs, called setae, cover different parts of their bodies and help them feel touch and changes in their surroundings.
Conclusion:
It’s important to be able to correctly identify carpenter ants if you want to get rid of them and prevent structural damage to your home. Keep in mind that carpenter ants are bigger ants that are black, red, and brown. They have three body parts: the head, the thorax, and the belly. Their antennae have 12 segments, which is a very important way to tell them apart. Also, keep an eye out for swarmers, which are flying ants that reproduce. They can be found at certain times of the year. By learning what carpenter ants look like, you can take steps to deal with any infestations and protect your home from these wood-damaging insects.
