Carpenter Ant vs Pavement Ant
Carpenter Ants and pavement ants are easy to mix up at a glance, but a few details separate them quickly. Here is how to tell which one you found and what, if anything, you should do about it.
Quick answer
Check for this first. A carpenter ant has large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax, while a pavement ant has parallel grooves on the head and thorax.
Side-by-side comparison
| Carpenter Ant | Pavement Ant | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Ants | Ants |
| Scientific name | Camponotus pennsylvanicus | Tetramorium immigrans |
| Size | 6–13 mm | 2.5–4 mm |
| Colors | Black and Red | Brown and Black |
| Legs | 6 legs | 6 legs |
| Wings | No | No |
| Bites or stings | Bites | Stings |
| Risk | Nuisance | Nuisance |
| Key feature | Large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax | Parallel grooves on the head and thorax |
Key differences
- Size: Carpenter Ants are larger, reaching 13 mm, while pavement ants top out around 4 mm.
- Color: Carpenter Ants are black and red; pavement ants are brown and black.
- Where found: look for carpenter ants indoors, in woods and along trails, on trees and shrubs and in basements and garages; pavement ants turn up in the kitchen, in basements and garages and in lawns and grass.
- Signature feature: Carpenter Ants: large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax. Pavement Ants: parallel grooves on the head and thorax.
How to identify carpenter ants
A large black ant that nests in moist or damaged wood, including window frames, decks and wall voids. It doesn't eat wood but excavates smooth galleries and pushes out sawdust-like debris.
- Large ant with an evenly rounded, single-arch thorax
- One node between the thorax and abdomen
- Piles of coarse sawdust and insect parts near nests
How to identify pavement ants
A dark brown ant that nests under sidewalks, driveways and slabs, pushing up small piles of sand. Colonies fight noisy battles on pavement in spring.
- Parallel grooves on the head and thorax
- Two small spines on the back of the thorax
- Small mounds of sand along pavement cracks
Which one is more dangerous?
Neither is more dangerous than the other; both are rated nuisance on our scale.
Carpenter ants can deliver a painful bite and weaken wood over time, but they do not carry disease. Pavement ants have a weak sting that rarely bothers people; they are mainly a nuisance.
Where and when you'll see each
Carpenter Ants turn up indoors, in woods and along trails, on trees and shrubs and in basements and garages, mostly in spring and summer. Pavement Ants turn up in the kitchen, in basements and garages and in lawns and grass, mostly in spring and summer.
Because they share habitat, you may find both in the same place, so check each individual.
What to do if you find one
Carpenter Ants: Follow trails at night to find the main nest and satellite colonies. Read the full removal guide for more.
Pavement Ants: Seal cracks in slabs and the foundation where ants enter. Read the full removal guide for more.
Biology: ants
Ants live in colonies ruled by one or more egg-laying queens. The workers you see are sterile females foraging for the rest of the colony, so killing visible ants rarely solves anything. Winged ants, called swarmers, appear when a mature colony sends out new kings and queens.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between carpenter ants and pavement ants?
Size: Carpenter Ants are larger, reaching 13 mm, while pavement ants top out around 4 mm.
Which is bigger, a carpenter ant or a pavement ant?
Carpenter Ant: 6–13 mm. Pavement Ant: 2.5–4 mm.
Do carpenter ants or pavement ants bite?
Carpenter Ants can bite. Pavement Ants do not bite and can sting.
Where are they usually found?
Carpenter Ants: indoors, in woods and along trails, on trees and shrubs and in basements and garages. Pavement Ants: in the kitchen, in basements and garages and in lawns and grass.