While splitting and stacking firewood that had been given to us this fall, my husband split a log that was full of frozen carpenter ants. The blessings came in asking for a jar, I thought how silly to bring them it, they are dead, wrong, they were only sleeping. Just tonight after the blessings were tucked into bed my husband called to announce they were moving around! What a wonderful blessing to have live insects to view and study for a while. Yahoo!! I will post our progress with these yucky things (I despise ants). We will see how they fare in our care. I need to find something for them to eat. More later and pictures as well. This will be an interesting winter project. Here is a little ant information. CARPENTER ANTS: INSECT PESTS OF WOOD PRODUCTS by Edward H. Holsten To date, there have been few problems with insect pests of wood products in Alaska, unlike the "lower 48," where insects cause tremendous losses. However, large black ants of the genus Camponotus (carpenter ants) have caused damage to wooden homes in Alaska. Carpenter ants are generally of minor economic importance as destroyers of wood in houses. However, if an infestation is of long standing, there may be enough damage to require extensive repairs. Usually, only minor repairs, at most, are needed. Besides being destructive, carpenter ants in houses are a nuisance; they crawl over things and get into food. These ants build their nests in several types of wood. They attack moist heartwood of living trees, or they hollow out logs, house timbers, or other soft wood materials that are wet or moist. Occasionally, they will tunnel into styrofoam insulation. Carpenter ants tunnel into wood for shelter and to raise their young. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat the wood. They forage from their shelters and consume both animal and vegetable matter. DESCRIPTION: Ants are social insects; various ages, forms and specialized duties occur simultaneously in a colony. Carpenter ants are among the largest species of ants in the United States. They have elbowed antennae, large heads and constrictions between the thorax and head and between the thorax and abdomen. Winged females may be up to 18 mm long; males are considerably smaller, 11 mm long. Wings are clear with prominent veins. Normally, there is only one functioning wingless queen in a colony, who may live as long as 15 years. There are several sizes (8 to 11 mm long) of workers, all of which are females but are undeveloped sexually. Ant eggs are elongate, white, and gourd-shaped. Immature carpenter ants (larvae) are gourd-shaped, soft, legless and yellow white. Their size varies according to the ultimate adult form (e.g., male, female, or workers.) Pupae (transition stage from immature to adult) are creamy white in papery, light brown cocoons which are often erroneously referred to as "ant eggs." Carpenter ants do not sting, but their bite is painful, especially if formic acid is injected into the bite. LIFE HISTORY: A young colony contains only wingless forms. After the colony has grown to considerable size, a number of winged individuals are produced (Figure 1). These are new males and females (swarmers) whose functions are to begin new colonies. They are commonly seen flying in May and June. After this mating flight, females either reestablish an old colony or establish a new nest. Normally, nests are constructed in dead portions of standing trees, stumps or logs. However, they also nest in structural timbers if they find the conditions suitable. During the first year colonies remain small, consisting of queen, 10 to 20 workers and a few young. In succeeding years, colonies expand rapidly and may number more than 2,000 individuals. It is at this stage that swarmers are produced each year. Figure 1. Winged adult carpenter ant. Figure 1. Winged adult carpenter ant.
