# a few large ants by tennant's front door... what are they?



## diy'er on LI (Jul 6, 2009)

black ant vs carpenter ant question........

I haven't seen the ants. I'm debating asking him to collect one if he smushes it so I can see it. he calls them carpenter ants... but I know garden black ants and carpenter ants are very similar (the butt area on the carpenter ant I believe is striped, while it's solid black on the garden ant).

At any rate, does anyone know a lot about carpenter ants? He has only seen a few big ants... right near his front door. The apartment is on the 2nd story, and the entrance is on a deck (made of pressure-treated lumber). Would you see carpenter ants if they were in the walls? Is it more likely that they're black ants since it's by the door only? (in the rest of the home, there are no ants at all)

Below the deck there is aluminum siding (the kind with holes that one puts up under the eves of the roof, proximal to the gutters). after a few falls, leaves and pine needles are trapped between the deck (just outside the entrance) and the siding beneath it. I'm beginning to think that the ants could be drawn to the junk trapped up there... and they're NOT carpenter ants.

Please advise! Obviously, we're terrified of a carpenter ant infestation...

thanks....


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

You need pics or a live specimen, squished may not do it

Carpenter Ant










Black Ant


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## diy'er on LI (Jul 6, 2009)

yeah, I really have to ask the tennant for some "specimens". hopefully, I can figure out the species. A little basic entimology research and a stereoscope, and I should be able to find the answer :icon_rolleyes: But the two look so similar (your pics prove that point!), I question my abilities to do so... dispite my scientific background and pro tools 

Anyone know any differences behaviorly between the two? (when does one usually see black ants vs carpenter ants? what are they drawn to?)


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## diy'er on LI (Jul 6, 2009)

update on this situation... I spoke to the tennant, and asked him to collect a few samples. Automatically, he hesitated and said "well, I'm not CERTAIN they're carpenter ants" I said I'll try to figure it out with the samples. his response:
well, I know carpenter ants look different than regular black ants. Carpenter ants have 2 segments to their bodies while regular ants have 3

:no: 
He's obviously not even looking at a  ant! 2 segments? I'll get the sample and see what he's looking at. I feel relieved that it almost certainly is NOT a carpenter ant......

thanks for your responses!


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