By Marilyn SyartoAnts are hard workers, and carpenter ants like to work hard to destroy your home. So, if you see one carpenter ant, don’t dismiss it as a non-problem; there are likely thousands more quietly doing their job in your walls. Their job? To chew away wood in homes and furniture to make safe pathways—called “galleries” in the extermination world—for their colonies and nests.Carpenter ants do like to chew, so believe it or not, they can be beneficial outdoor insects that feed on annoying plant-damaging bugs such as aphids and scale. They also aid in composting rotting wood, and they help eliminate pest carcasses and debris in the garden. Unfortunately, carpenter ants are not so tasty to many other predators, except for the occasional passing bat that snags a winged one. Carpenter ants are less damaging outside, but you don’t want them to ruin your shed or wooden structures, either. Our guide gives you tips and steps to take to manage a carpenter ant infestation and keep them from doing more serious damage to your home.