The presence of red ants near or inside wooden structures often raises immediate concerns about property damage. Many homeowners correctly associate certain insects with destructive damage to timber. Determining whether these common red-colored ants are consuming the wood or simply using it for shelter is an important distinction for assessing any risk to a home’s structural integrity. Understanding the biology and nesting habits of red ants provides the clearest answer to this question.
Do Red Ants Digest Wood
Red ants, which commonly refer to species like red imported fire ants or red harvester ants, do not consume wood for sustenance. Unlike true wood-destroying insects such as termites, ants lack the specialized biological mechanism required to break down wood fibers. Wood is composed primarily of cellulose, and ants do not possess the necessary enzymes or symbiotic microorganisms to digest this complex carbohydrate.
Their nutritional requirements are met through a varied diet of proteins, fats, and sugars that they forage for outside the nest, meaning wood provides zero nutritional value. When red ants are found in wood, they are simply excavating the material to create a nesting site. The material they chew away is discarded, resulting in tiny piles of wood shavings rather than being ingested.
Why Ants Inhabit Wood Structures
Red ants and many other ant species use wood solely for its suitability as a nesting substrate and for its insulating properties. They are often considered secondary invaders, meaning they generally establish colonies in wood that is already compromised. This includes material that is soft, decaying, or weakened by excessive moisture, such as leaky window frames or wood near plumbing issues.
The presence of water damage creates an optimal environment for colony survival and development, attracting ants to these vulnerable areas. When establishing a nest, the ants use their powerful mandibles to chew away wood fibers, creating a network of smooth tunnels and galleries within the material. The goal is to remove material to create space for the colony.
What Red Ants Actually Eat
Common red ants, such as the Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta), are opportunistic omnivores that feed on a wide variety of plant and animal matter to satisfy their colony’s nutritional needs. Their diet includes carbohydrates, such as honeydew secreted by aphids, plant exudates, and other sweet substances. They also require proteins and lipids, which they obtain by preying on insects, scavenging dead animals, and consuming oily seeds.
Fire ants are unique in that adult workers are only able to ingest liquids or minuscule particles. Solid proteinaceous foods must first be liquefied by digestive enzymes from the oldest larvae before consumption by the rest of the colony. Harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex species), which are also often red, specialize in collecting and storing seeds, which form the majority of their diet.
Understanding Other Wood-Damaging Pests
The true threat to wooden structures comes from other insect species, which fall into two main categories based on how they interact with wood. Termites, unlike any ant species, are the primary consumers of wood, as they possess the necessary gut microbes to digest cellulose and extract nutrition from the material. They actively eat the wood, turning it into energy for the colony.
Carpenter ants, which can be reddish-brown, also tunnel into wood to create nests, but they do not eat it. They excavate wood, often choosing material that is moist or decaying, and leave behind a fine, sawdust-like material called frass. The extensive galleries they create for nesting can cause significant structural damage over time if their presence goes unnoticed.