When one starts to see the presence of ants inside their home, it can cause a mild sense of panic. Ants are a common nuisance in households across the country finding their way inside in search of food and shelter. Though there are many different species of ants that thrive in Terre Haute, carpenter ants prove particularly annoying because of their destructive nature. Not only do carpenter ants destroy wood and wooden structures, but they are extremely hard to get rid of. Our experts from Action Pest Control want to provide you with some tips on how to prevent them altogether.
What Carpenter Ants Look And Act Like And How Do They Behave?
Carpenter ants are a larger species of ants, in fact, they can reach up to ¼ inch in size. These ants are black or dark brown in color, and polymorphic (ants of the same colony can be different sizes). Most carpenter ants do not fly, however, an established colony will produce winged males and queens called aeletes. The aelates will emerge from the colony to mate and create more colonies.
Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood; instead, they tunnel through wood while looking for food. They prefer water-damaged wood but can also tunnel through solid wood. They’re more active at nighttime, especially during the hotter months of the year.
Carpenter ants typically nest inside wall voids and other hard-to-reach areas as they prefer darkness and solitude. Once a nest is established, aelates will swarm, mate, and establish satellite colonies which makes locating the source of the colony particularly difficult.
Why DIY Carpenter Ant Control Doesn’t Work
As a result of these satellite colonies, most DIY carpenter ant solutions fail. Even if you’re able to destroy one colony, there are still more hidden. Furthermore, the dead ants leave behind pheromones alerting other colony members that they’re under attack. As a result, they will break off into even smaller colonies to keep themselves safe, thus ensuring their survival.
Furthermore, carpenter ants are very hard to locate. They tend to nest inside wooden structures which are nearly impossible to reach in your home. The best way to destroy the colony is to hit it directly forcing you to rely on toxic baits. Using baits can be risky. They tend to kill the ants too fast which impedes the overall destruction of the colony. Even more worrisome, they are harmful to pets and children and thus need to be placed and monitored carefully. That's why when dealing with carpenter ants, professional ant control services are always the way to go.
How To Prevent Carpenter Ants From Infesting Your Terre Haute Home
It’s important to know what attracts carpenter ants to homes when considering prevention. Moisture, access to food, and ample nesting locations are three key conditions that attract carpenter ants. They usually get into a home because of an outside attractant, like a pile of wood close to the home or leaf litter in the yard. Once inside, they look for damp wood to tunnel through, and then they locate a food source. As they explore your home, they leave behind pheromones so that other ants can follow them.
Here are some helpful prevention tips for carpenter ants:
- Seal any openings, holes, and cracks in the foundation, on the walls, near utilities, and on doors and windows.
- Keep your yard clean. Removing debris from the foundation is especially important. Stack firewood and bricks away from the home and off the ground.
- Clean your home regularly. Wipe counters and sweep floors to remove food debris that could attract ants. Store food properly in sealed plastic containers or in the fridge.
- Get rid of garbage and ensure outdoor garbage cans are properly sealed.
How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants
Even if you take steps to prevent a carpenter ant infestation, it could easily happen. Most people with carpenter ant infestations don’t realize that they have one until the damage is already done. If you find signs of a carpenter ant infestation around your home, contact Action Pest Control for a free inspection. We will work with you to tackle any infestation whether its carpenter ants or other pests.