Carpenter ants are one of the most destructive bugs that can ever invade your home. Like termites, they burrow through wood to create tunnels and galleries for its nest. The bugs can cause massive damage to your wooden structures, including the basements, eaves, walls, and flooring. You need to learn to identify these ants and call in a Gilbert pest control company before they tear your home down.
How To Identify A Carpenter Ant
Most homeowners confuse the damage done by carpenter ants with a termite infestation. They overlook clear signs of the ant colony, treating the wrong pest. Here are several characteristics that can assist you in identifying carpenter ants in your house:
- Worker ants are black or reddish-black.
- Carpenter ants are polymorphic, meaning the colony members vary in size; workers range from 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch long.
- Queens and males are typically larger, measuring up to three-quarters of an inch.
- Carpenter ants have an elbowed waist with only a singular node.
Accurate identification of the black carpenter ants in your home is key to effective pest eradication. Call in a pest control expert to assist you if you are unsure.
A Carpenter Ant Infestation In Your Home Can Cause Many Problems
Carpenter ants earn their name from their nesting habits when they tunnel into wood to create galleries for egg-laying and food storage. The ants do not eat the wood, only chewing and pushing out the sawdust-like debris. The tunneling can leave large holes and gaps that weaken your structural beams.
Additionally, carpenter ants prefer to chew on moist, rotting wood, making it easier to create smooth galleries. Eating through the already damaged wood can further weaken your home’s structure.
The ants also release reproductive swarmers to set up satellite nests once the colony matures. Carpenter ant swarmers on your Gilbert property are a major sign of an infestation you need to deal with. Satellite nests can further damage your house.
Factors That Attract Carpenter Ants To Your Home
Carpenter ants invade homes through gaps or cracks on the walls. Here are conditions that can attract the destructive insects to your property:
- Moisture: Carpenter ants require moisture to survive. They love to gnaw at wet, rotting wood and will prefer an environment with high moisture content, such as bathroom walls, kitchen sink cabinetry, and the basement. Fixing water leaks and drainage problems is an effective carpenter ant treatment measure.
- Food: The ants are omnivores, feeding on smaller insects, honeydew, plant sap, and fruits. A ready food supply within your home can attract the bugs to set up a nest. Eliminating access to food will deter the carpenter ants from living within your property.
- Outdoor Woodpiles: Logs and firewood left outdoors can become wet, making them a perfect target for carpenter ants. Carrying a few pieces of the wood harboring the ants into your house kickstarts the infestation. You can avoid carpenter ant damage to your home by properly storing your woodpiles in a dry section.
How To Completely Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants In Your Home
Carpenter ants can remain hidden for long periods, with the carpenter frass in your home as the only exterior evidence of their presence. Pro Active Pest Control can assist in identifying nests of the invasive bugs within your Gilbert property.
Our experts can also recommend effective treatment options to exterminate the infestation. These can include carpenter ant spray solutions and advanced carpenter ant bait systems. Call us today to learn more about our residential ant control services in Gilbert.