Table of Contents
What Are Carpenter Ants?
Six legs, two antennae, and three main body parts give the carpenter ant a similar appearance to that of a regular ant. Their black and red bodies don’t do anything to distinguish them either. That being said, these ants are usually black, red, or brown, but can also have varying combinations of these colors. For instance, some carpenter ants might be reddish-brown or brownish-black. The workers of this colony grown to nearly a ½ inch in length while the queen can get as long as 5/8 inches. The thing that makes the carpenter ant so formidable is its willingness to cooperate. They are always working together! It’s highly unlikely you’ll just see one ant. You’ll usually see them grouped, working towards the development and growth of the colony.
Early Warning Signs
Carpenter ants can be extremely difficult to eliminate once they invade the home. This is because they build colonies outside and tunnels leading into the home. One single colony could consist of multiple tunnel entrances and exits, giving them the benefit of multiple egresses when needed. With their willingness to work together, these ant’s can be extremely hard to eradicate. This is why it is best to hit an infestation head-on as early as possible. Here are some signs you can keep an eye on that’ll tell you whether or not you might have an infestation.
Sight – Look for black or red ant foraging in and around the property
Sawdust Trails – Along with building underground tunnels, these guys will also sometimes burrow into wood. They do not eat the leftover wood, which means it is just left lying there
Sound – You can place your ear on your walls and hear carpenter ants in there scurrying around
Winged Intruders – The main goal of the ant is to further the growth of the colony so that specific members can venture off and start their colonies. This is another thing that makes them even more difficult to eradicate than other insects. It will be the winged members of the colony that venture off to start their separate colonies. If you see these critters there is a good chance they are looking for a place to start a new colony
Why Do People Have Carpenter Ants?
Carpenters ants prefer to construct secondary colonies in decaying wood as opposed to fresh or sound wood. They will eventually make their way there to sound wood, but they don’t prefer it. They prefer their primary colonies to be underground. It won’t be uncommon to see ant colonies in weather porches, decks, or patios. If this is the case, you are dealing with more than one colony. Simply put, ants need three things to survive, water, food, and shelter. If you see them in the home, this is why. They are either seeking water, food, or shelter.
Are Carpenter Ants Dangerous?
Carpenter ants don’t reportedly sting or bite. This means they aren’t a physical threat, but they can do major damage to your structure, given the fact they like to burrow into wood. They’ll also get into food items and containment them.
How To Eliminate Carpenter Ants
From the information you’ve learned above, you can see that ants are hard to eliminate. They not only work together towards a common goal, but they construct their primary colonies outside away from the home. They also build complex mazes of tunnels with multiple entrances and exits leading in and out of the property. It only takes missing one bug or one of these entrances or exits and the critter will likely live another day. Given the size of these colonies, it only makes the critter that more of a threat.
Can I Treat My Carpenter Ant Infestation?
To successfully treat a carpenter ant infestation one must trick one of the members into taking poison back to the colony. When the ant takes poison back to the colony, it’ll inadvertently poison itself along with the other members. While this might sound basic, it should be noted that such chemicals and poisons used for this task are dangerous and most of the time illegal. It usually requires a license and certification to purchase these types of chemicals. This is why most of the DIY and over-the-counter pesticides just aren’t as effective. This is just something to keep in mind when choosing a pest management provider.
How Soon Will Help Get Here?
When dealing with an infestation, it is not something you want to drag on. We understand the problem can be troubling, but the worst part is, the longer the infestation lingers on, the worse it’ll get. This is something we understand all too well, and that is why we strive to get a tech out to the property within 24 to 48 hours after you make initial contact with our offices. We do, however, have emergency services available that can arrive on the spot if and when needed.
How Do I Prevent Carpenter Ants?
Carpenter ants can be extremely troubling critters, but the trick to dealing with them is to stop them before they start. Of course, this is much harder said than done. This is something we are more than willing to help with. After treating your infestation, we can assess your property and provide you with a list of things you can do to prevent future infestations. Heck, we even offer preventive maintenance packages that’ll help you keep your property ant-free. All you have to do is call!
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