Ants · Camponotus spp. (mainly C. pennsylvanicus)
Carpenter ants
Carpenter ants are large black or reddish-black ants that hollow out wood to nest. They don't eat wood or sting, but a long-term colony can weaken damp framing, trim and window sills. They're common in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia, especially in homes with leaks, rot or wood touching the ground.
Seasonal activity
When they're active in Southeast Tennessee
Spring is when carpenter ant swarmers and nighttime trails show up indoors.
- January: Low
- February: Low
- March: Moderate
- April: Peak
- May: Peak
- June: Peak
- July: Moderate
- August: Moderate
- September: Moderate
- October: Low
- November: Low
- December: Low
Signs
How to tell you have them
- Large black ants walking trails indoors after dark, especially in kitchens and bathrooms
- Small piles of coarse, sawdust-like shavings mixed with bits of dead insects below a crack or hole
- Winged ants emerging inside in spring, which usually means a nest in or under the house
- Faint rustling or crinkling sounds inside a wall or door frame
- Smooth, clean tunnels in wood with no mud in them
- Ants coming and going from a tree limb, utility line or deck that touches the house
Carpenter ants or termites?
Both damage wood, but they do it differently, and the fix is different.
What's in the tunnels
Carpenter ant galleries are smooth and clean, almost sanded. Subterranean termite galleries are lined or packed with dried mud.
What gets pushed out
Carpenter ants dump shredded wood fibers and insect parts outside the nest. Termites don't leave sawdust piles.
What they look like
Carpenter ants have a pinched waist and elbowed antennae, and you'll often see them walking in the open at night. Termite workers are pale and soft and avoid open air.
Why they're a problem here
Carpenter ants prefer wood that stays damp, and our region gives them plenty of it: humid summers, heavy rain, shaded lots and lots of older homes with crawl spaces. A carpenter ant problem is often a moisture problem in disguise, such as a slow leak at a window, a clogged gutter soaking the fascia, or a crawl space that never dries out.
Colonies grow slowly. Mature colonies can have a few thousand workers and often split into satellite nests, with the queen staying in a main nest outdoors in a tree or stump and workers carrying brood into a wall void. That's why spraying the ants you see rarely solves it. The main nest has to be found or reached with bait.
How we treat them
- 01
Find the nest
We follow trails, look for shavings and check likely damp spots inside and out, including trees and stumps near the house. Nighttime activity tells us a lot.
- 02
Bait and treat
Baits placed along trails let workers carry the active ingredient back to the colony. Where we can reach a nest in a wall void or porch column, a labeled dust or foam can go directly into the galleries.
- 03
Protect the perimeter
A treatment around the foundation and entry points helps stop foragers coming in from outdoor nests.
- 04
Point out the moisture
We'll show you the leaks, rot or wood-to-soil contact that attracted them so the problem doesn't come back. Badly damaged wood should be repaired or replaced.
Prevention
What you can do today
- Fix roof, plumbing and window leaks and replace wood that stays soft or rotten
- Clean gutters and keep downspouts draining away from the foundation
- Trim tree limbs and shrubs so they don't touch the roof or siding
- Store firewood off the ground and well away from the house
- Keep mulch from piling against the foundation or siding
- Seal gaps where utility lines and pipes enter the house
- Keep the crawl space dry and ventilated
When to call us
Ant control
Species-specific treatment for carpenter, fire, odorous house and pavement ants.
How we treat itQuestions
Carpenter ants FAQ
Do carpenter ants eat wood?
No. They chew through wood to make room for their nest and push the shavings out, but they feed on insects, honeydew and sweets. The damage comes from tunneling, which is why it's slower than termite damage but still worth stopping.
Why do I see big black ants in my kitchen at night?
Carpenter ants forage mostly after dark, traveling from their nest to food and water. Seeing a few in spring may just mean they're coming in from an outdoor nest. Seeing them regularly, or seeing winged ones indoors, points to a nest inside the house.
Are carpenter ants dangerous?
Not to people. They don't sting, though a large worker can give a pinch if handled. The concern is the wood they nest in and the moisture problem that usually comes with them.
Will spraying get rid of carpenter ants?
Usually not by itself. Spraying the ants you see kills foragers and can push the colony to move, while the queen keeps producing workers. Baits and direct nest treatments work better because they reach the colony.
References
Last fact-checked October 15, 2026.
Think you have carpenter ants?
Tell us what you're seeing and where. We'll call you back to schedule.