Size: 6 to 13 mm in length
Color: Black to reddish to orange to black/red combinations
Body structure: Head, thorax and abdomen with a small node on pedicel
Characteristics: Generally there is a single queen in the colony but often supplementary queens as well. Colonies typically are around 15,000 workers when mature, but potentially could be over 100,000 workers. Foods are both carbohydrates and protein, with insects a major part of the diet.
Habitat: The usual habitat of a colony of carpenter ants is within wood, often wood buried or partially buried in the soil. They also commonly establish “satellite” colonies that may be in a structure, maintaining contact between the two colonies with the workers who travel to and from over well-defined trails.