Carpenter Ants: A Homeowners Guide

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Carpenter Ants: A Homeowners Guide

Carpenter Ants: A Homeowners Guide

28 December 2022
 Categories:
, Blog


Most ants are annoying but harmless. When you discover an ant or two in your kitchen or bathroom, you typically don't have any reason to be alarmed. A big exception to this rule, however, is carpenter ants. If you notice any of these pests in your home, you need to take action immediately. This article offers homeowners a brief guide for dealing with the threat of carpenter ants.

Identification

The first step in dealing with an infestation is to make sure that you have correctly identified the carpenter ants. One mistake that some homeowners make is to confuse carpenter ants with termites, as the two insects have a resemblance. The color of carpenter ants varies, with most species being black, brown, or reddish. Like all ants, they have bodies that are segmented into three sections. 

They have pinched waists, which distinguishes them from termites that have rectangular bodies. Carpenter ants are typically 3.4 millimeters to 13 millimeters long and have two bent antennae.

Threat

These ants are a threat because they tunnel through the wooden elements of your home. They do not actually eat wood as termites do, but their tunneling can cause structural damage to your house. Typically, they will begin to tunnel in wood that has started to decay or has been damaged by water. Although they do not damage a house as quickly as termites, a large colony can severely compromise a house's structure over time.

Signs

The most obvious sign of an infestation, of course, is spotting the ant visually. You might notice frass, which is fine sawdust, on your floor close to a wall. Also, look for signs of tunneling in any wooden elements of your house, such as door frames. If you knock on any wood that is part of your home's structure and hear a hollow sound, it could indicate that carpenter ants have been active.

Prevention

To stop carpenter ants from gaining a foothold in your home, keep all firewood, or any type of wood, well away from your house. If you store firewood on your property, make certain that it's at least 20 feet from the house and raised up off the ground. Seal all gaps or holes that you find in your foundation. Keep your gutters clear of debris, so that water does not pool near your house and cause any wooden elements of your home to start rotting.

If you notice a carpenter ant infestation in your home, contact a pest control services company.

About Me
Safe Pest Control Services

Welcome to my website. My name is Trina. I live in the country with my husband, our two children, two dogs, and three cats. I love country living with one exception... the pests! I am referring to wasps, stink bugs, and rodents. I don’t know why they don’t stay out in the woods, but they don’t. They seem to love our house. I was six months pregnant with our second child when we broke down and called a pest control service. The gentleman came out to talk to us, and I had many concerns. I was pregnant, we had a small child and our pets. The professional spent a great deal of time with us patiently explaining about the products they use in and around homes. I would like to share what we learned, and why we now have pest control service for our home.