Carpenter ant nests consist of irregular tunnels in which eggs are laid. The small white immatures are fed by workers until they develop into adult ants.
Damp or rotting wood is especially attractive for ant nests because they feed on fungal growth and the softer fibers make tunneling easier. Excavations by carpenter ants look sandpaper smooth and are kept very clean, unlike termite galleries which are packed with mud and excrement.
After a mating flight, the young queens search for new nest sites and shed their wings to begin new colonies.
Winged ants inside suggest a nest in the home.