carpenter ant

noun

1. a black or brown ant of the genus Camponotus that nests in the wood of decaying or dead trees in which it bores tunnels for depositing its eggs.

Word History and Origins

Origin of carpenter ant¹

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Daddy would point out the moths, carpenter ants, and roly-poly bugs beneath the bark of dead logs.

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Turns out birds love to eat aphids, carpenter ants, termites, and all types of potential pests.

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Most worker carpenter ants have one of two fates: They either become foragers who look for food or soldiers who defend the nest.

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While carpenter ants are pesky to homeowners, forests would be stacked to the brim with dead wood without the decomposing power of wood-destroying insects.

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They looked like carpenter ants in their black suits.

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