The ants we see most often in the Washington DC region are odorous house ants, black ants, fire ants and carpenter ants. While odorous house ants, black ants, and fire ants do not sting or bite, they can become persistent pests, traveling indoors in large numbers. Carpenter ants are dangerous to your property because they nest in wood. Their behavior will cause serious structural damage. They may cause less damage than termites, but over the years if left untreated, their negative impact on your property structure is significant.