Carpenter ants in trees

[dodge man]

I’m cutting up a red oak that blew over late last winter. It looked almost like the roots were dying and that’s why it uprooted. I cut it up into log length and an now cutting it into rounds. As I split it I’ve discovered 3 or 4 different areas of the tree that had a large group of black ants that I’m pretty sure are carpenter ants. I spray then when I find them. I don’t have an exact percentage but it seems like most of the trees I’ve had die had similar infestations. I for sure had some apple trees that did. Also other oaks and maybe hickories. A couple pictures of the area where the ants were.

It looks like they get into the trees through wounds and the area is often black. From what I’ve read the ants most likely aren’t killing the tree but are a sign of it’s bad health but I’m not sure. It seems the oak wilt is getting a lot of them in this area of Western Illinois. Are the ants the cause of the tree dying or have nothing to do with it? Any insight on this?

 

[MossRoad]

I doubt the trees are dying because of the ants. They take up anywhere they can get in. We get them in the crotches of our locust trees if I leave them lay on the ground for a year or more.

 

[/pine]

Watched a 'Nature' program the other night about woodpeckers...It said the number one food for Pileated woodpeckers was carpenter ants...
...The birds actually listen for the ants to know where to bore into the wood...

 

[JJT]

More than once I've seen nests of carpenter ants 40' or more off the ground in lightening damaged hickory. The first time I saw it I thought it was a one off. A few months later I saw another occurance, than another.

 

[polo1665]

Around here I find them mostly in wild cherry trees.

 

[dodge man]

In the tree I’m talking about and have tge two pictures I can’t say how high off the ground they were but maybe 20 feet roughly.

 

[ArlyA]

Carpenter ants reside in decaying trees. Doesn't make any difference how low or high from the ground. They are everywhere up here and the favorite food of pileated woodpeckers.

 

[jaxs]

If they bother you give me your address and I'll send you some Fire Ants to run them off.

 

[dstig1]

Yep seen it here too in some oaks. Tree get damaged and the ants move in.

 

[wmfamily]

If they bother you give me your address and I'll send you some Fire Ants to run them off.

Thankfully we don't have fire ants up here (yet). The armadillos are bad enough.