If you think of pests that could damage the structure of your home, termites might be the first ones that come to mind. However, carpenter ants are another quiet killer that is often not seen until it’s too late. These big black ants don’t eat wood like termites do, but they can tunnel through it, which could do a lot of damage to your house and cost a lot of money. To protect your home, you need to know about carpenter ants, how they behave, and how to stop and get rid of them.
How to Spot Carpenter Ants
Camponotus, the scientific name for carpenter ants, is one of the biggest ant species you’ll find. Most of the time, they are ¼ to ¾ of an inch long and range in colour from black to dark brown. They don’t eat wood, but they make their nests by digging tunnels and chambers in it. Nests like these can weaken the structure of your house over time.
Signs That You Have a Carpenter Ant Problem
Finding a carpenter ant problem early is very important to limit the damage that could happen. Keep an eye out for these signs:
Sawdust-Like Frass: As carpenter ants dig through wood, they leave behind frass, which is like sawdust. Finding piles of frass near wooden buildings is a good sign that they are there.
Sounds: Sometimes, you can hear rustling or light tapping sounds coming from wood that has ants living in it.
Ants That Can Be Seen: If you see big black ants, especially near wood, that means that carpenter ants are active.
Hollow-Sounding Wood: If you tap on wood that has carpenter ants on it, the hollowed-out tunnels inside may make it sound hollow.
Steps to Take to Prevent
Keeping carpenter ants out of your home is the best way to protect its integrity:
Controlling Moisture: Carpenter ants like wet places. Fix any leaks or water damage right away, and make sure damp places like basements and crawl spaces have enough air flow.
Wood Maintenance: Keep wooden buildings in good shape and seal any openings to keep people out. Fix or replace any wood that is rotting or has been damaged by water.
Landscaping: Cut back trees and plants that grow close to your house to get rid of places where ants could hide.
Food Storage: Make sure that food is kept in airtight cases both inside and outside to keep pests away.
Seal Entry Points: To keep ants out, seal any cracks, gaps, or holes on the outside of your home. You can use glue or a weatherproof sealant.
Measures of Control
If you think you have carpenter ants or have seen signs of them, you need to take action right away:
Professional check: Get a professional pest control service to do a full check to find out how bad the infestation is and where it is.
Treatment: To get rid of the ants and their nests, professionals may use baiting and poisons, among other things.
Structural Repairs: Once the pests have been removed, any damage to the structure of your home should be fixed to make it safe again.
Checking in regularly
It’s important to keep an eye out for carpenter ants even after treatment has been successful. By doing regular checks, you can find any new infestations quickly and stop them from doing more damage.
In conclusion
Carpenter ants don’t eat wood like termites do, but they can still damage your home’s structure by tunnelling through it. Your best defences against these harmful pests are to be careful, take preventative steps, and get professional help. If you know what carpenter ants do and get rid of them quickly, you can keep your home from getting badly damaged and keep it standing for years to come.
At Ant Control Lindsay, we offer long-term solutions that can guarantee the eradication of pest presence throughout the property through crack and crevice application in areas of high activity.