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).
