Ants are one of the most prevalent home-invading pests in Terre Haute, Indiana, and they often make their way inside of homes or businesses. However, while all ants can be difficult to deal with because they are so invasive, some species cause particular problems such as property damage or health risks.
The carpenter ant is one of these species, and they are known for their ability to destroy wooden structures as they tunnel through them to build their nests. However, unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood but instead, clear it and push it out of their tunnels. These ants can ruin decks, flooring, outbuildings, and more, and the longer they are left alone, the more damage they can do.
In order to protect your property from carpenter ant damage, you first need to start with being able to identify them. Carpenter ants can look similar to other species with their dark brown or red to black coloring, but they also have a single node that attaches their thorax to their abdomen. They are a single species and grow to be a little over a half-inch in length.
Just How Big Of A Problem Are Carpenter Ants?
Carpenter ants can be a double threat because they both destroy property and also get into and contaminate food sources. All ants in the area will look for a variety of food items, and they will consume anything from protein to pet food to sugary items. Carpenter ants are no exception, and any food they get into will need to be thrown out. However, they aren’t known to spread any particular diseases.
The main concern with carpenter ants is the damage they can do. While termites generally do more damage as they are usually harder to identify at first, over time, carpenter ants can also cost property owners in Terre Haute thousands of dollars in repairs.
Seven Carpenter Ant Prevention Tips
Because carpenter ants can wreak havoc on your home or business, the best way to save yourself time, money, and stress is to take steps to prevent carpenter ants in the first place. Some of these tips are general and prevention measures that will help keep many species away while others are specific to carpenter ants.
- Remove any water-damaged or decayed wood from your property.
- Store firewood at least 30 feet away from your building and make sure it’s kept dry and neatly stacked.
- Store pet food indoors and in airtight containers.
- Keep kitchen areas cleaned by doing dirty dishes and sweeping and mopping floors.
- Cover all garbage cans with lids and take out the trash often.
- Reduce humidity around your property by fixing leaky plumbing and using dehumidifiers.
- While ants are tiny and rather hard to keep out, fixing broken screens and install weather stripping around doors and windows will limit potential entry points.
How Can You Remove Carpenter Ants?
While taking preventive measures can help prevent carpenter ants, they are a rather difficult pest to eradicate once on your property. If you’re already dealing with carpenter ants, don’t waste your resources trying to remove them on your own. Instead, let the experts at Action Pest Control.
We provide ongoing residential and commercial pest control services that will address current carpenter ant infestations and also keep them from coming back. Get started today by requesting your free inspection.