In order to tell if carpenter ants have invaded your home, you first need to be able to identify them. These ants are black or dark red in color and shiny. They can reach anywhere from a quarter to a half an inch long. Ants in the same colony can vary in size. Similar to termites, carpenter ants will make nests in areas that are high in moisture. However, they are different than termites because they don’t actually eat wood. They tunnel and chip away pieces of wood to build their homes.
With the right conditions, carpenter ants have the ability to remain active throughout the year. During the winter months, they survive by going into a state of low energy known as diapause. In this phase, carpenter ants movement becomes minimal and may not eat anything at all. However, if they’re inside a warm home, they may feed off the food that’s available inside. Since carpenter ants don’t eat the wood they’re destroying, they will feed on any spills, crumbs, or other foods that are easily accessed. With both warmth and food being supplied, this means carpenter ants have the potential to be a year-round problem.
It’s important to know the warning signs of a carpenter ant infestation. Early detection will prevent damage and save money. The easiest way to identify a carpenter ant infestation is to actually see the worker ants or the swarmer ants in your home. Worker ants provide for the colony and build tunnels, while swarmer ants reproduce and start new colonies. The swarmer ants differ in looks from the worker ants because they have wings. Sometimes these wings can be found around the house after they’ve been discarded. Carpenter ants can also be heard inside the walls. If you hear a rustling sound behind the walls, above the ceiling, or below the floors, it’s worth further inspection! A hollow noise may be heard if you knock on the walls as well. Another sign of carpenter ants is small piles of sawdust. Since carpenter ants don’t eat the wood they are tunneling through, you may find small wood shavings along trim, door frames, plumbing, or around the foundation of your home.
To Prevent Carpenter Ants, You Should Follow These Steps:
- Remove garbage regularly and keep the bins a good distance from the structure of your home.
- Make sure they have tight-fitting lids on them as well!
- Seal off any cracks or crevices you find around the exterior of your home.
- Clean up any spills or crumbs immediately and keep food well sealed in containers to prevent carpenter ants from feeding inside.
- Keep vegetation trimmed away from your home.
- Fix any leaks. Water can attract carpenter ants.
If you notice signs of carpenter ants in your home, the most effective thing to do is contact your local ant control provider. These pests are capable of causing damage year round under the right conditions, so it’s important to monitor your home for activity. At Action Pest Control, we protect homes from over 40 household pests, including carpenter ants. We offer different home pest control packages based on your needs. Contact us today to learn more about what we offer.