Large black ants seen foraging in the kitchen at night
A satellite colony is established inside the structure, likely in or near the kitchen. The parent colony is usually outside in a dead tree or stump.
Large Black Ants That Nest in Moist or Damaged Wood
Carpenter Ant Control in Mount Pleasant, SC
Year-round; most active and visible in spring and summer
Quick answer
Carpenter ants are the largest ant species found in South Carolina homes. Unlike termites, they do not eat wood — they excavate smooth galleries to nest in moist or damaged wood. Finding carpenter ants indoors, especially large workers foraging at night, is a sign of moisture-damaged wood somewhere in the structure.
Telling it apart
What gives it away
Most people call after noticing one of these.
Coarse sawdust mixed with insect body parts pushed from a wall void
Carpenter ant frass from an active gallery. The mixture of sawdust and body parts distinguishes it from termite activity.
Large ants near a window frame, door frame, or roof soffit
Areas with persistent moisture or prior leaks are the most common nest sites.
Why this keeps happening in Mount Pleasant homes
The Lowcountry climate and frequent rain events create conditions for moisture-damaged wood in window sills, door frames, crawl space sill plates, and roof sofrits. Carpenter ants exploit any moist wood.
Mature oak and pine trees around Mount Pleasant neighborhoods provide outdoor nesting sites and foraging routes into homes.
Calls for it arrive from all over Charleston County, Sullivan's Island, Daniel Island and North Charleston among them.
At a glance
- Size
- 0.25 to 0.75 inch — the largest ant in SC homes
- Color
- Solid black, or black with reddish-brown midsection
- Wood damage
- Smooth, clean galleries (unlike termites, which leave mud and excrement in galleries)
- Frass
- Coarse sawdust-like material pushed out of galleries; mixed with dead insect parts
- Moisture requirement
- Almost always associated with moist or previously water-damaged wood
- When
- Year-round; most active and visible in spring and summer
- What it runs
- an estimated $99–$239
What it gets mistaken for
Termite swarmers. Carpenter ant swarmers have bent antennae and a pinched waist. Termite swarmers have straight antennae, no pinched waist, and equal-length wings. Finding swarmers inside the home in either case warrants investigation.
What actually happens
Direct application of bait or residual to the gallery if accessible
Perimeter treatment to intercept foraging workers
Moisture correction — identifying and fixing the water source that damaged the wood
Elimination of outdoor nest sites (dead stumps, woodpiles against the structure)
Some carpenter ants problems are genuinely finished after one visit. Others return every year whatever you do, and those are what a plan is for.
| The case | Usually the right call |
|---|---|
| One nest, one room, caught quickly | A one-off |
| The same problem returning every season | Seasonal plan |
| Something living in the building | Treatment plus sealing work |
What you can do yourself
Consumer ant sprays repel carpenter ants from treated surfaces but do not reach the gallery. Bait is more effective but must be placed where ants are actively foraging.
What it costs
Most carpenter ants jobs around Mount Pleasant land between an estimated $99 and $239, and the property decides where inside that. The inspection costs nothing and the real number goes in writing before anyone starts. Estimated bands, and what pushes a job up or down them, are set out on the pricing guide, and the service that handles this is General Pest Control.
More on this
Elsewhere on this site
Formosan Subterranean Termites
Most Destructive Termite in the Lowcountry. Formosan subterranean termites are an invasive species that arrived in South Carolina via port activity and now populate coastal counties including Charleston County.
German Cockroaches
The Indoor Cockroach That Reproduces Rapidly. German cockroaches are a true indoor pest that nests in kitchen equipment voids, under sinks, and inside appliances.
Asian Tiger Mosquito
The Day-Biting Mosquito That Breeds in Your Yard. The Asian tiger mosquito is the most common biting mosquito in residential Mount Pleasant.
Questions & Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
Do carpenter ants cause the same damage as termites?
Carpenter ant damage is slower and more localized than termite damage. They excavate galleries in wood that is already moist or damaged rather than actively consuming sound wood. However, a long-established colony in a structural member can cause significant damage.
I found carpenter ants in my kitchen. Where is the nest?
The kitchen nest is usually a satellite colony. The parent colony is often outdoors in a dead tree, stump, or woodpile. Indoor satellite colonies are typically established in moist or damaged wood — under a window with a slow leak, a plumbing penetration area, or a basement rim joist.
How do I find the moisture problem?
Look for soft wood, staining, or paint peeling near windows, doors, roof edges, and plumbing. Carpenter ants are accurate indicators of moisture damage — treating the ants without finding and fixing the moisture source results in recurrence.
Get Started Today
Not sure whether that is what you have?
The inspection is free and you get a straight recommendation rather than a pitch. Same-day service where there is capacity for anything active.
Call (843) 868-3211