Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ant Basics

What is a carpenter ant? This is a question that many consumers have asked themselves. Despite seeing numerous carpenter ants, they’re still not sure what they are. What are they? What do they look like? Carpenter ants are a specific species of ants that have six legs and two antennas. They’re primarily black with a few reddish spots. When traveling together on the highway or in the grass, you likely won’t notice them. With their strong mandibles, they’re able to easily chew through wood and wooden structures. After they’ve done this, they’ll use the holes for nesting.

Carpenter ants can be many colors, including red, brown, or black. Worker ants are the smallest of the group ranging from 1/8 to ½ an inch. Queen carpenter ants are the largest with some reaching 5/8ths of an inch.

How Do I Know If I Have Carpenter Ants?

Ultimately, there are numerous ways to confirm that you have carpenter ants.

• Look For Them – First, you should look for the ants. Do you see large ants walking around your home?
• Check For Sawdust – You’ll also want to check your property for sawdust trails. If you notice small piles of sawdust or frass, you’re likely dealing with a carpenter ant infestation.
• Listen For Them – Besides looking for carpenter ants, you’ll also want to listen for them. When placing your ear against the wall, you should be able to hear the ants moving around inside.
• Look For Winged Ants – Finally, you should begin looking for carpenter ant swarmers. These ants have wings and tend to be seen when they’re foraging for food. When the colony has been well-established, carpenter ant swarmers will try to develop new colonies.

Why Does My Home Have Carpenter Ants?

It is common for carpenter ant colonies to be established in decaying wood. Once they’ve established a sound colony, they’ll begin trying to build another colony. To achieve this goal, they’ll begin looking for more solid wood. If you’ve found a carpenter ant nest in your home, there is a good chance that there is a bigger nest on your property. Carpenter ants prefer being outside. If they’re in your home, they’re likely searching for food. These determined insects will search far and wide for ways to enter your home, so keeping them out will be very difficult.

Should I Worry About Carpenter Ants Being Dangerous?

In general, carpenter ants are not dangerous. They don’t bite and don’t transmit diseases. The biggest concern with carpenter ants is that they’re going to destroy your home. You’ll need to get rid of them to prevent them from destroying your structure.

How Can I Eliminate Carpenter Ants?

It is difficult to properly remove carpenter ants from a home. Since they have many interlinked nests, you’ll need to target each nest. If you miss one or two, the ants will return and continue ruining your life. What happens if you miss one next? The ants are going to recover quickly. Before you know it, the colony will be bigger than ever. To fix this problem, it is a good idea to hire a professional exterminator.

Should I Eliminate Carpenter Ants Myself?

Could you eliminate carpenter ants on your own? Yes, but it isn’t likely. If you try to do it alone, you’ll likely run into a lot of problems. You may miss a nest, or you may expose yourself to dangerous chemicals. It isn’t worth it. To minimize the risks, you should hire a professional exterminator. With their assistance, you’ll know for certain that the ants are gone and won’t return.

When Can You Begin?

Contact us to schedule an appointment with one of our skilled exterminators. It’ll take 24 to 48 hours for us to respond.

Is Your Treatment Safe?

We try to provide our clients with the safest pest control solutions possible. You can count on us. We follow guidelines to provide our clients with safe results. We only use EPA-registered products to guarantee that our clients are going to be protected.

Can I Prevent Carpenter Ant Infestations?

Sadly, it can be difficult to prevent carpenter ants from entering your home. Since they’re determined foragers, they’ll find a way inside. You need to work with a professional to eliminate the problem and prevent them from returning.

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