What Are Carpenter Ants?
Carpenter ants are some of the most notorious insects in nature due to their tendency to be destructive. They’re one of the largest ant species, growing up to almost an inch long. Carpenter ants build nests inside wood and can cause significant damage to a structure’s integrity if left unchecked. These resilient pests come out at night in search of food, so they’re often hard to spot during the day.
How Can I identify Carpenter Ants?
Identifying carpenter ants can be a tricky process due to the fact that there are many different species, all of which may vary slightly in size and color. Fortunately, there are a few key characteristics that can help narrow down your search. To start, look for large black or reddish-brown ants with a long thorax and a single node between the thorax and abdomen. In addition, these ants typically have “elbowed” antennae, an evenly curved body, and three sets of spines located on the back of the thorax. Finally, carpenter ants are known to create nests in wood, so if you notice any signs of sawdust or other wood shavings near windowsills or doors keep an eye out for these pesky creatures!
What Attracts Carpenter Ants to My Home?
Many factors attract these ants from their natural habitats to our houses, and understanding these is key to preventing infestation. These ants primarily look for food sources such as sweets and proteins, as well as nesting sites. Damp and decaying wood are ideal places to find carpenter ants. Additionally, carpenter ant colonies often set up their base in or near stumps or trees, so homeowners should take care not to keep firewood near the home’s perimeter. Keeping an awareness of these potential attractants can help protect against a carpenter ant infestation.
Carpenter Ants vs Termites
Carpenter ants and termites can be damaging to homes and offices; however, the damage done by each of these pests is quite different. Carpenter ants form galleries in wood as they burrow and create nests, leaving behind sawdust-like material along pathways and tunnels. Termites, on the other hand, will eat away at wood from the inside out. As a result, there is often no outward sign that a structure has been damaged until more advanced stages of infestation have taken place. Such signs of termite damage may include buckling walls or floors, areas of frass (termite droppings), or mud tubes along exterior surfaces. Both carpenter ants and termites can be controlled by a professional like All Natural Pest Elimination. It’s best to get a free estimate today if you believe you have any wood-destroying pests.
Life Cycle of a Carpenter Ant
Carpenter ants are social insects that form large colonies that can live for many years. The lifecycle of a carpenter ant begins as an egg, which hatches into a larva. The larva feeds on secretions from the workers and pupates, emerging as an adult worker ant. Worker ants feed their queen, care for the young, build new chambers in the nest, and find food to bring back to the colony. Once they reach maturity, male and female carpenter ants fly away together during the mating flight season to create new colonies of their own. This cycle is then repeated to keep the species alive and thriving.
How do I Know if I Have a Carpenter Ant Infestation?
Some clues that may indicate you have a carpenter ant problem include things like:
- Spotting ants.
- Finding wings they have shed.
- Finding insect carcasses.
- Crackling or crunching sounds inside your walls.
- Visible damage to wood such as tunneling, blistering, grooves, and ruts on the wood surface.
- Sawdust like substance, or strange powdery substance beneath the holes and furrows where they have been chewing tunnels.
How Do I Get Rid of Carpenter Ants?
If you want to get rid of your ant problem, the best way is to call All-Natural Pest Elimination to come in and survey your home, assess your damage, and give you an estimate of the treatment. However, there are some things you can do to help keep them away.
- Fix leaky pipes and faucets.
- Clear any dead wood away from your home, keep areas where you have mulched away from your home.
- Look for areas of your home where wood is moist or getting moldy and fix the source of the moisture.
- Plant flora around your home because most insects do not like strong smells. If you plant flowers and other fragrant plants around your home, it helps keep ants and many other insects away from your home. Examples of these kinds of plants include tobacco plants, plants that produce essential oils, rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, lavender, and lilac, just to name a few. You can look up other insect-repelling plants online to see which plants will grow in your area.
When To Call An Exterminator For Carpenter Ants
When it comes to carpenter ant control, it is important to know the signs of an infestation and decide when the right time is to call an exterminator. In cases where there are a lot of visible ants in the home or small piles of sawdust which indicate ant tunnels, an exterminator should be called as soon as possible. In addition, if an area of wall sounds hollow due to carpenter ant tunnels, or if frass (wood shavings) is found near windowsills, doorways and other areas around the house, this is another sign that extermination services should be sought out immediately. With a prompt response from an exterminator, it is more likely that the problem can be resolved faster and with fewer struggles than if one were to wait for further problems to develop.
How Much Do Exterminators Cost To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ant Infestations?
When you spot carpenter ants or carpenter ant damage it is best to call a professional immediately. One of the 1st questions people always have is “How much will it cost to get rid of carpenter ants? The truth is that there is no one answer to this question. Depending on the size of the carpenter ant infestation, where it is, and how much damage it has done, the price can vary greatly. This is why All Natural Pest Elimination offers a free initial inspection. That way you can make an informed decision knowing the true scope of the project and your options.
Remember if you suspect you have a carpenter ant problem, call the carpenter ant pest control expert, All-Natural Pest Elimination at 877-662-2449 to help, so you can breathe easier knowing damaging and harmful insects have been eliminated from your home safely and effectively. Call All-Natural Pest Elimination today!
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