While they rarely bite, carpenter ants can cause significant damage to the structural integrity of your Lexington home. They are among the most problematic ants in Kentucky and can be one of the toughest to deal with. Even if you see one black ant crawling around, you may think it is no big deal; however, carpenter ants can be very sneaky. They are nocturnal and only come out at night when you can't see them, and their warning signs can be very subtle. If you suspect an infestation, don't waste any time and contact the Lexington pest control experts immediately.
Carpenter Ant Nests: Where Are They?
Carpenter ants in Lexington have two types of nests, the satellite colonies and the parent colonies. Parent colonies are typically outdoors in rotted places such as logs, stumps, old boards, tree roots, or rotting trees. Carpenter ants will also nest in moist and decaying wood inside your home, such as under dishwashers, sinks, or bathrooms. Carpenter ants enter homes via damaged or wet wood, by way of cracks around doors and windows, and will even create paths through healthy wood if needed. Since a satellite nest doesn't need to support the lifecycle, carpenter ant satellite nests can be found in reasonably dry locations compared to that parent nests. Dry areas that host satellite nests can consist of spaces such as wall voids, inside insulation in attics, or inside hollow doors. Satellite carpenter ant workers move between parent nests to transport food, pupae, and, if the moisture level of the satellite net is suitable, carpenter ant eggs.
Can You See Carpenter Ants In Your Wall?
While it may be challenging to identify a carpenter's ant infestation until the damage is extensive, some clues can be more obvious. If you see giant black ants inside your home, even one or two, there may be hundreds, or even thousands, just out of sight inside your walls. Seeing frass, which looks similar to sawdust, in some regions of your home could indicate where carpenter ants are digging through your walls. This may pile up on walls or the floor but can also be hidden in crawl spaces and wall voids.
The Do's And Don'ts Of Carpenter Ant Control
If you have seen ants in your home, contacting pest control professionals is the best way to get rid of an active infestation. Here are the do's and don'ts of handling a carpenter ant infestation:
Do:
- Properly identify your infestation.
- Locate the infested areas.
- Inspect your property for signs of carpenter ants.
- Keep wood away from the house to prevent ants from invading your home.
Don't:
- Rely solely on DIY pest control.
- Ignore taking care of the infested areas.
- Assume that you will see carpenter ants if they are active in your home.
Carpenter ants can cause a mess in your Lexington home, so it's best to leave pest problems to the experts at Action Pest Control. To ensure carpenter ants never invade your home in the first place, you must ensure you have no rotting or soft wood on your home. One way to do this is to reduce moisture outside your home by directing all water away from your foundation and walls.
Professional Carpenter Ant Extermination In Lexington
Remember that Action Pest Control can provide ongoing ant control services around your Lexington home to repel and reduce ants, minimize food sources for carpenter ants, and catch warning signs early. It pays to have a licensed, experienced professional doing routine inspections and treatments. Reach out to us today to get your pest control plan started.