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Black Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants come in different sizes and different colors.

There are red carpenter ants, black carpenter ants, and black carpenter ants with red thoraxes (the middle section).

Black carpenter ant species include pennsylvanicus, essigi, herculeanus, and our most common Northwest black carpenter ant:  Modoc.

Pictured at right is a sterile female worker of the species Modoc, carrying an insect, food, back to their satellite nest in a home.

Some species of Carpenter ants written about on the web do not occur here and some of them do not infest houses.

Typical black carpenter ant bringing food back to the nest site.

There are of course lots and lots of different species of black ants. 

Carpenter ants aren't even the only species of large black ants in our area. 

There is a species of thatching ants that are big and have red heads but black gasters and thoraxes. 

The middle section of an ant is it's thorax.  The very back section is the gaster.  Ants store food in their gaster.

Black carpenter ant picture with identification information.

If the main nest site of the carpenter ant colony is old enough, and healthy enough, it may produce winged carpenter ant swarmers. Swarming flight occur in the spring.

It is very difficult to tell the specie of a winged ant - since they have extra muscles on their back to work the wings.  These extra muscles cover up distinguishing characteristics that are used to identify ants.

The ant to the right is a winged male carpenter ant reproductive.  He is similar, but much smaller, than the winged female.  His head is also rounder and the tip of his gaster is much more pointed.

We have additional info, pictures, and videos on carpenter ants, their control, and prevention which can be found by following any of the links noted above.

Black carpenter ant with wings.