: an ant (especially genus Camponotus) that gnaws galleries especially in dead or decaying wood
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Nests tucked into corners or under joists can also cause damage by trapping moisture and attracting secondary pests such as carpenter ants and termites.—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 14 Apr. 2026 Identifying Carpenter Ants Black carpenter ants are the most common type.—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026 Can lady beetles harm your home? Unlike termites or carpenter ants, lady beetles do not chew through walls, eat furniture or cause any other sort of structural damage, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025 The fungus that hijacks ants like a ghastly marionette
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The humble carpenter ant is the unsuspecting victim of this nightmare.—New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for carpenter ant