Parent Nest in Standing Dead Beech or Maple
The classic NH outdoor parent-colony substrate is a standing dead or decay-class 2–3 deciduous tree — beech, red maple, or sugar maple — within 100 meters of the home. American beech in particular has 92% of its NH volume in low-grade or decayed wood due to beech bark disease, making it the most abundant parent-colony substrate per acre. Entrance points are slit-like (not round) and often hidden under bark flaps. Woodpecker damage on the trunk (rectangular or oval holes from pileated woodpeckers preferentially targeting carpenter ant nests) is the best wildlife indicator of an active parent colony.
