Illustration of carpenter ant
carpenter ant
noun
: an ant (especially genus Camponotus) that gnaws galleries especially in dead or decaying wood
Examples of carpenter ant in a Sentence
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Identifying Carpenter Ants There are many species of carpenter ants, but those most common in the South are black carpenter ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus), which are a dull black color, and Florida carpenter ants (Camponotus floridanus), which have a black head and a red body, says Oi.
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Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
The fungus that hijacks ants like a ghastly marionette
Penn State
The humble carpenter ant is the unsuspecting victim of this nightmare.
—New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2025
While the essential oils and extracts distilled from citrus peels are effective at repelling insects ranging from carpenter ants to cockroaches, these compounds only work when applied in high concentrations, much higher than what is present in the peel itself.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
However, carpenter ants, amongst other communities, have lost this ability due to evolution.
—Jennifer Vilcarino, ABC News, 3 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for carpenter ant
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Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
The fungus that hijacks ants like a ghastly marionette
Penn State
The humble carpenter ant is the unsuspecting victim of this nightmare.
—New Atlas, 12 Apr. 2025
While the essential oils and extracts distilled from citrus peels are effective at repelling insects ranging from carpenter ants to cockroaches, these compounds only work when applied in high concentrations, much higher than what is present in the peel itself.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
However, carpenter ants, amongst other communities, have lost this ability due to evolution.
—Jennifer Vilcarino, ABC News, 3 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for carpenter ant
Cite this Entry
“Carpenter ant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carpenter%20ant. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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