Carpenter Ant:

Carpenter ants are a common indoor insect pest found throughout the entire US. They typically inhabit moist wood yet have the ability to expand into both rotting and undamaged wood. While carpenter ants do not eat wood, they do excavate and create tunnels throughout wood; hence, where their ‘carpenter’ name comes from. They generally prefer to create these tunnels (or galleries) within decayed or already damaged wood. The larger a colony, the more significant damage that will be caused. These infestations are most commonly established within outdoor environments and only enter the homes when opportunities arise. The carpenter ants can be found in trees, stumps, roots, and other wood structures.

Carpenter ants are not typically thought of as dangerous and rarely bite. The real concern with a carpenter ant infestation is their ability to damage and weaken the structural integrity of homes and buildings. Carpenter ant populations can reach tremendous numbers, at which time satellite nests begin to form and branch out from the original colony. Similar to termites, carpenter ants will swarm to mate and establish new colonies.