Big black ants
Big black ants
The typical big black ant is the carpenter ant. Characterized by a larger than average ant body which is pitch black and glossy in nature this ant is indigenous to forest areas all over the world. The big black ant is called a carpenter ant because of its ability to chew up wood and form tunnels in the wood it has chosen to make its home. They will chew up the wood but not consume it. Instead they will form mounds of sawdust where they go through the wood.
The anatomy of the big black ant
Like other ants the carpenter ant features a head, thorax and abdomen. They have compressed well defined waists, and their antennae is slightly bent. Plus they have four wings but the fore wings and not the same size as the hind wings. The antennae are broad and flat at the top and the waist of the black ant contains one singular petiolar segment.
The ants range in size from 5.5 mm to 11 mm in length. There are two sizes of worker big black ants: the minors and the majors. These working carpenter ants are not able to sting you but they do produce formic acid. Now this is not harmful to you in small doses like the ones that the ants produce. In large quantities however, formic acid is very dangerous.
In the carpenter ants colony the largest ants are the alates. These are the winged female ants that are sometimes confused for termites. They grow to length of 20 mm but they are not the only winged members of the colony. There are also winged males who mate with the winged female to create new colonies. Once they have mated the males die off and the females shed their wings and go to the quest to find a new nesting site. When the female finds a nesting site she will seal herself inside and lay her eggs effectively creating a new colony with herself as the new queen.
Do big black ants bite?
These ants will bite under certain circumstances like if they feel their nest and queen is threatened. Unintentional or intentional proximity to their nest will also result in bites as the ants strive to chase you away from their home and colony.
Get rid of carpenter ants
The most effective way of getting rid of big black ants is to place poison along the trail of the ants which they can then carry to their nest and kill off the rest of the population. Ant bait is applied around the house as well especially in the places where the ants frequently enter your home.
