Are carpenter ant colonies primarily indoor or outdoor?

Carpenter ant colonies are primarily found outdoors, especially in decaying or moist wood, as they prefer to excavate their nests in areas like tree stumps, logs, and other timber close to the ground. While they may occasionally invade buildings in search of food and moisture, their primary habitats are natural environments where they can find suitable nesting sites. This preference for outdoor environments is essential for their survival and reproduction, as they rely on the availability of natural resources typically found outside.

While carpenter ants can establish secondary nesting sites or foraging pathways inside structures, this behavior does not classify their colonies as being primarily indoor. Their presence indoors generally indicates that they are searching for food sources rather than establishing a primary colony. The distinction of being outdoor dwellers helps inform pest management strategies, as the focus can be on eliminating outdoor nests to effectively control their population in and around structures.