Carpenter Ants

What Is A Carpenter Ant?

With black and reddish bodies, sex legs, two antennae, and three main parts, the carpenter ant is unlike any other insect out there. It might similar to that of other ants, but it’s a unique critter when compared to other common insects commonly found in the home. What’s even more surprising about the carpenter ant is, if you see one, you’ll likely see several more trailing behind. They often travel together in large numbers. They do so in your grass, on your walkways, and inside your home, as troubling as that might sound.

With strong mandibles, these critters possess the ability to gnaw through wood and wood structures, allowing them to construct nests inside. You learned earlier that these ants appear typically reddish in color, but there are some that have appeared black, brown or even a combination of the two. The workers of the carpenter ant colony can grow to measure anywhere from 1/8 inch to ½ inch in length. The queen will grow to 5/8 inches.

How To Detect Carpenter Ants In My Home?

While there are several ways that you can go about detecting carpenter ants in the home, there are some distinct ways that stand out more than others. These ways are usually more apparent.

• Sight: Look for large black any foraging in and outside the home
• Sawdust Trails: Carpenter ants like to build their colonies in wood. And, they build large colonies, so expect to see sawdust nearby. Some people refer to the small piles of sawdust left behind by these creatures as frass
• Sound: Sometimes you can even put your ear against the wall and listen to these creatures working inside
• Winged Ants: Like termites, the winged ants will venture off to start their own colony. If you see a winged ant flying around your property, there is a good chance that it just left its original colony and is looking to start a new one. If you don’t act quickly, you’ll have two colonies on your hands

Why Is My Property Infected With Carpenter Ants?

A good thing about the carpenter ant is, they prefer to be outdoor. They prefer to live and thrive outdoors. However, this doesn’t mean they won’t invade the home because they certainly will. If they do, it likely means they are desperately in search of food. Another good thing is, when they choose to invade the home, they’ll start with dead or decaying wood before moving onto the more sound structures. They’ll build nests or colonies in this wood. These determined little critters can enter the home through a variety of sources, like eaves, door frames, windows frames, plumbing, and utility lines.

Are Carpenter Ants Dangerous?

Carpenter ants are typically known to bite and they have never been reported of spreading diseases. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t pose a threat. Given their propensity for wood, they certainly pose your property a major threat.

How To Eliminate Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are one of the more difficult insects to eliminate because they like to build complex networks of tunnels. Tunnels that usually allow them to travel from the outside of the home to the inside. It just takes missing one of these critters during the treatment stage and they’ll travel back to the colony and rebuild.

Does DIY Work For Carpenter Ants?

You can clearly see that carpenter ants are anything but simple. Not only do they build extensive networks of tunneling systems, but these critters will go out of their way to avoid detection. There are a handful of DIY treatments available online these days, but the complexities of these creatures really limit the potential success of these treatments. It just takes one critter to survive and make its way back to the colony where it can rebuild.

When Can You Get Here?

Our offices stay busy year-round, but we are always more than willing to adapt for our customers. Along with offering emergency services, we always try to have a tech out to the home within 24 to 48 hours upon initial contact. 24 to 48 hours after contacting us, we’ll have a tech out at your home to assess the situation and offer treatment advice.

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