Information on carpenter ants

When searching for information about carpenter ants (identification, control, and other such information), I came across this link that provides some information in this regard, and should help you to learn more about this problem. Here are some excerpts from this site:

The presence of a few foraging ants in the home, or 1 or 2 winged queens during swarming times does not mean you have an infestation. These foragers may merely be scout ants seeking food or nesting sites or queens that have flown in an open door.
Foraging ants have been seen entering homes along telephone wires or along branches touching the roof or even from ground trails that come under a door. In such cases, the house may be a nesting area.
If ants are coming in, there may be a nest outside the house and eventually they may establish satellite colonies in some part of the structure. Be certain they are carpenter ants and not moisture ants, termites or yellowjackets.

Most infestations were in houses with these characteristics:

* Wood frame
* Crawl space
* Cedar or plywood siding
* Moderately to gently sloping roof
* 5-25 years of age
* Vegetation (trees and shrubs) surrounding the house
* "Structures located near the edge of the forest were more liable to attack than those located further away." This is because the ants which have well-established nests in trees or stumps can easily move to the nearby house and establish satellite colonies.