# almost 1 inch ant



## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

I found 2 of these yesterday and I have never seen an ant this big.
It is as long as a honey bee..

One was in the kitchen and I trapped it to prove to my hubby how big it was
and then I found another in the garage.


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

What? No picture?


----------



## JIL (Aug 25, 2007)

is it black? may be a carpenter ant get rim of em they are as bad as termites they like wood. read up on how to get rid of them.


----------



## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

OMG........

I can't take ants. Horrid creatures. Evil. From the devil. I have an irrational fear of ants. Now I'm going to have ant nightmares again, thanks.


----------



## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I remember those big ants from when I was a kid. I don't think they are carpenter ants, the carpenter ants I've seen are smaller. I haven't seen the big ones in years.


----------



## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

I haven't seen ants that big since I was living on the farm back in the 50s. We used to have them around the maple trees in our yard and they were red ants. They did look like the devil.


----------



## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I saw ants that big once at work....

I was puttin' away supplies, and I opened this box of large adult diapers. Them giant black ants started pouring out of the box. I took off runnin and called my boss from another phone.....made him come to work to tape up that box and get it and the ants outta there. The ants had built a nest in one of the packages of adult diapers. I had the heebie jeebies so bad........


----------



## gina kay (Sep 12, 2007)

I've seen some that big but they were red with black stripes and sort of fuzzy looking.


----------



## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

gina kay said:


> I've seen some that big but they were red with black stripes and sort of fuzzy looking.


We have those here too! I've alway thought they looked like they could pack a powerful bite! Never been bit by one though. They make me think of fire ants on steroids.


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I've seen some that big but they were red with black stripes and sort of fuzzy looking.


Those are called "Velvet Ants" or "Cowkillers"
It's actually a wingless *wasp* with a VERY painful sting

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...+ant&hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&ie=UTF-8&tbs=isch:1


----------



## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

It is black and doesn't look like the velvet ant with the red parts..
Okay I am getting a picture to post and I will try to have something in the picture to reference the size...
be right back....


----------



## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)




----------



## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

If you have a Netflix subscription may I suggest you watch the movie "Them". It is now available.


----------



## danielsumner (Jul 18, 2009)

I"m scared!!!!


----------



## Helena (May 10, 2002)

Think they are carpenter ants too.. Take it to cooperative extension and make them cringe and make their days wages. My Dad had carpenter ants and they literally ate his wall until it was gone in his house. So...perhaps I am glad it is very cold in the winter where we live.


----------



## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

I need to gouge my eyes out now. Thanks for the nightmares. The one thing I'm afraid of in this life...is ants.


----------



## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

Nickie...that will teach you to believe the post title :hysterical:


----------



## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

I have alot of them here. Yes, they look like carpenter ants. I think mine got in originally from wood brought in for the wood stove. They are HARD to get rid of and I've had them for years...


----------



## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

They are most likely carpenter ant queens. They are twice as big as the workers. Big abdomens set to produce a lot of eggs. 

Martin


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Thanks for the photos!

Oh Nickie, you would not get along with my son. He loves ants.


----------



## stickinthemud (Sep 10, 2003)

You need to look carefully at anything wood that might be hiding a carpenter ant colony. Our neighbor lost a huge (silver?) maple to them. The bottom ten feet or so of the trunk was hollowed out. It came down one windy day. Missed the house and garage but crushed his pickup.


----------



## Rita (May 13, 2002)

Ants are my enemies! From my lst painful encounter as a kid picking huckleberries when I sat on an old stump, to the fire ants in FL, but worst of all in FL I took out our rowboat and when I was a good distance out in the lake, out from the inside of the metal seat hordes of huge ants came out. Not only were they huge but I kid you not, those buggers drew blood when they bit!! If it weren't for all the alligators I would have jumped in the lake. Did I say I hate ants?


----------



## NickieL (Jun 15, 2007)

Rita said:


> Ants are my enemies! From my lst painful encounter as a kid picking huckleberries when I sat on an old stump, to the fire ants in FL, but worst of all in FL I took out our rowboat and when I was a good distance out in the lake, out from the inside of the metal seat hordes of huge ants came out. Not only were they huge but I kid you not, those buggers drew blood when they bit!! If it weren't for all the alligators I would have jumped in the lake. Did I say I hate ants?


Sounds similar to my expiriences LOL

One day I was oug helping my grandma water her yard. I was barefoot, standing on the lawn. Looked down, my legs were litterally COVERED in red ants. Talk about a world of pain. Happened to me on the florida trail too, friend wanted to get a picture of me and DH by one of the trail signs. Didn't know I'd be steping on an ant hill. I ran into the water...despite alligators.:hammer:


----------



## L.A. (Nov 15, 2007)

I've seen those out here. Usually by themselves, not by a hill or mound, just alone. Sometimes out in the pasture. I've wondered what they were too.
L.A.


----------



## ronbre (Apr 26, 2009)

check for areas of rotted wood in or near the house..or if you brought in firewood..there are always more if there are 2..and they eat rotten wood...and i mean eat it


----------



## nancy237 (May 29, 2008)

I will check for damp wood , rotten wood and areas that they 
may have nested in.

We have firewood on the deck that needs to be moved.

We are so behind on home repairs I don't know where to start
and hubby is unable to help right now due to medical issues. 

We need to get this house sold and get into something
easier and cheaper to maintain.


----------



## Ode (Sep 20, 2006)

Wow, those are some Chernobyl ants for sure! Scary...*shudder*


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

You've got trouble... they'll literally eat the wood down to nothing. It's exterminator time, either pro or diy.


----------

