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Photo Gallery - Views of the black carpenter ant
Urban Life
Where it lives: Black carpenter ants prefer to
nest in living, standing trees, but will also nest
in logs and wood in human structures.
A worker out foraging in the canopy. - © Alex Wild
their sturdy mandibles to excavate tunnels and rooms in the
wood. Many people see black carpenter ants living in their trees
and think the ants are killing the trees. However, black carpenter
ants actually have a history of helping trees. They have an
appetite for tree pests like red oak borers, and they spend a lot of
their time foraging around their home, plucking pests off the bark.
The trees housing my carpenter ants 25 years ago are still
standing today.
What it eats: Omnivores, black carpenter ants
eat protein-rich foods, including other insects,
as well as sugary foods, such as plant nectar.
NYC notes: Carpenter ants can be found
anywhere in New York where there are trees
nearby. They have been found on Broadway, in
front of the Lion King and nearly anywhere else
there is a trunk in which to raise babies and
hide from bright lights.
Because of these woodworking skills, some people think
carpenter ants are pests. While black carpenter ants can make
their tunnels in the wood of people’s homes, they often point
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