A Carpenter Ant Question Answered For Me!

[EPS]

A few weeks ago I came across a downed red oak tree in the woods behind my house, so I have incrementally cut it up and hauled logs back to my woodshed to split up. A few logs into the splitting process I came across what looked like dead carpenter ants all up inside the wood. They slid out and I continued to stack, but was wondering "Is that them in hibernation or are they dead?" (I also assumed that they're either the reason for the downed tree or they took advantage of it being down in their own way, just like I was).

Well a few days ago I was back at it, splitting these logs when my question about hibernating vs. dead ants were answered. After splitting a log an entire colony of very much alive ants came pouring out, some of them with wings on! I went on a carpenter ant squashing spree with my boots and maul, and I got all of them, especially the one that looked like the queen. It was a gross way to learn!

 

[peakbagger]

It can be quite impressive on cold day to split into a big nest, once exposed to the slightly warmer air they start to wake up and go into "autopilot" to find a sheltered spot and relocate the eggs. They are definitely slow motion targets. As I picked up the splits I would find various spots under splits where they were congregating and would go into stomping mode again.

They don't eat live wood, they are just taking advantage of the cover and damp wood in a natural defect. On softwoods, the woodpeckers can hear them inside the trees and will jackhammer holes into the trunk to get at them.

 

[Zack R]

Split up the rounds and leave them out in the open for a week - the birds love to eat those ants. I cut a old dead ponderosa pine that fell across a trail once.... the amount of huge carpenter ants that fell out could have filled a gallon milk jug. As I kept cutting the section into rounds more spilled out, as I was putting away the saw and tools birds came in thick and went to town.

 

[Smokepole]

I have been splitting up a large red oak this week. It is full of carpenter ants. When I start my splitter the wrens
show up. They learn fast.

 

[johneh]

This time of year if I come across any while I am splitting
I just toss the splits out in the grass and watch the Robbins go to town
My splitters like a dinner bell to them

 

[hickoryhoarder]

I just put the offending splits away from the rest of the wood stacks, at the end of the driveway, in the sun. The ants go away or get eaten.

 

[Dix]

I split it, and walk away. The birds take care of it

 

[xman23]

My woods property, as beautiful as it is, had black ants in a lot of trees. Before splitting a pile of rounds, I get the fire pit going. As I split a round and find ants it all goes into the fire pit. As years go by I move out further from the house. What a difference it has made.