Do carpenter ants feed finely ground wood to their young?

Carpenter ants do not feed finely ground wood to their young; rather, they primarily feed on a variety of other food sources. While they are known for nesting in wood, their diet typically consists of sugary substances (like honeydew from aphids), protein sources (such as insects), and other foods that are high in carbohydrates.

Carpenter ants excavate wood to create nesting sites but do not consume the wood itself. Instead, they chew through the wood to create galleries for their colonies, leaving behind piles of wood shavings. This behavior distinguishes them from wood-eating termites, which actually consume wood as a major part of their diet. The understanding of the dietary habits of carpenter ants is crucial for effective pest management, as it highlights the need to address food sources and not just the infestation of wood itself.