Carpenter ants are large (¼–1 in) ants indigenous to many parts of the world. They prefer dead, damp wood in which to build nests. They do not eat it, however.  They burrow holes and nest inside the rotting material, sometimes causing expensive damage to homes, buildings, and any wooden structures.  This is usually a concern for the enactment of Carpenter Ant Control, which is another phrase for Carpenter Ant Extermination.

Sometimes carpenter ants will hollow out sections of trees. The most likely species to be infesting a house in the United States is the Black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus. However, there are over a thousand other species in the world.