While it is possible to have both carpenter ants and termites infesting the wood of your house, one does not attract the other and they do not have any kind of symbiotic relationship. In fact, they are natural enemies. Carpenter ants like to raid termite colonies to eat the termites.

    Carpenter ants bore into the wood in your home to create nests, but they are not recognized as a “Wood Destroying Organism” (WDO) by Florida Department  of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) because they do not actually eat the wood like termites, wood-destroying beetles, and wood-decay fungi. See our blog post Do carpenter ants cause structural damage to houses in Florida? to learn more.

   Carpenter ants are occasionally confused with termites by homeowners, but they are much larger than termites. Two termites will fit easily on the head of a match, and the photo of a termite above is tremendously enlarged. 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •  

To learn more about termites, see these other blog posts:

• Should I be worried about termites if my neighbor's house is being tented?

• Is the WDO (termite) inspector allowed to poke holes in my wood siding and trim? 

• How long before closing can you have a WDO (termite) inspection done?

• How long does Bora-Care® last? 

• Why is it a mistake to store lumber in the crawl space under a house? 

• How do termites infest a house and remain hidden while doing major damage?

• Are homes in Florida required to have termite protection? 

• If termite damage appears to be old, does that mean that termites may no longer be present?

• How do I know if my WDO/termite report is "clear"? 

• When do termites swarm in Florida?

• Does a recent termite company inspection sticker mean there are no termites? 

• Can a mobile/manufactured home get termites?

• Do I have to tent the house if I have termites? 

• What is the difference between a subterranean termite and a drywood termite?

• What are the green plastic discs in the ground around the house? 

• What is a termite shield?

• How do termites get into a concrete block house? 

• Do termites eat concrete?

• What is a clean WDO?  

• Does wood chip mulch in the yard attract termites?

• I think I have termites. What does a termite look like?

• I'm buying a concrete block house. Do I still need a termite inspection? 

• I saw a little termite damage on the baseboard. Should I be concerned?

   Visit our TERMITES, WOOD ROT AND PESTS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.  

Photo - Rudolf H. Scheffrahn