In only a short time, carpenter ants can do severe damage to your property. Sadly, most property owners don’t realize the ants are on their grounds until the damage is severe. To keep your property safe, learn some of the common signs of a carpenter ant infestation. If you act quickly, you can eliminate the ants before it’s too late.
What Are Carpenter Ants?
Out of all the ants, carpenter ants are the most destructive. They’re larger than some of the other local ants and measure about half an inch long. Typically, they are black, brown, or reddish in color.
With a slim waist and round thorax, the carpenter ant is relatively easy to identify. But the simplest way to classify this ant is by its behavior. Carpenter ants are often found in or near wood, which is where they like to nest. To build tunnels and make nests, carpenter ants burrow into wooden materials. They often leave behind evidence of their presence. If you know what to look for, you can hire someone to eliminate these ants before you need to make extreme repairs on your home.
Signs Of A Carpenter Ant Infestation
All of the following are clues that you could have carpenter ants around:
1. Wood Shavings
As carpenter ants chew through wood, they leave a trail of wood shavings. This is because, unlike termites, ants don’t eat wood. They simply chew through it as they tunnel. If you have wood furniture in your home or a wood frame on your home, you could find wood shavings nearby.
2. Sounds In Your Walls
When you tap on the wall, do you hear a rustling? If so, there could be ants hidden behind the sheetrock. One way to check for carpenter ants is to tap on the wall with a finger and place an ear up to the surface. Doing so disturbs the nest and makes it easy to hear the commotion.
That said, it’s important to realize that you need to tap the wall near their nest. Because carpenter ants prefer moist wood, you should look for them near your windows, doors, and water-damaged wood.
3. Ant Sightings
If you find winged ants on your property, you could have a carpenter ant infestation. You might also see ants walking around your home at night. To draw them out, take a flashlight and search for them in the dark.
How To Deter Carpenter Ants
As with most insect infestations, the key to successful elimination is early detection. But the best way to protect your home is to take steps to deter ants.
Remove Moisture
Ants need water to survive. For that reason, areas of high moisture attract carpenter ants. You should fix leaky plumbing, check your downspouts, and remove standing water. If your home has water damage, repair it as soon as possible. Carpenter ants find it easier to chew through rotting or wet wood, so they often seek out damaged wood for their nests.
Limit Their Access Points
The only way ants can get into your home is through openings. If you seal up all of those openings, the ants won’t have any way of invading. Of course, that’s easier said than done. The ability to chew through wood makes it easy for carpenter ants to enter homes. You can limit their access if you cut back tree branches and shrubs that are too close to your home.
Work With The Experts
Whether you want to deter carpenter ants or you already have an infestation, you need professional help. For the best results, contact Innovative Pest Control at the first sign of carpenter ants.
Categories:
- Carpenter Ant,
- Ant Control,
- Ant Prevention,
- Ant Identification
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