The most likely species to be infesting a house in the United States is the black carpenter ant. Carpenter ant species reside both outdoors and indoors in moist, decaying or hollow wood, where they build their nests. Certain parts of a house, such as around and under windows, roof eaves, decks and porches, are more likely to be infested by carpenter ants because these areas are most vulnerable to moisture. Though they sometimes may be visible to homeowners in the springtime, their seeming disappearance doesn’t mean that they are gone. They are capable of a large amount of damage.