While no one wants to see ants walking across their kitchen counters and floors, the truth is most ants are more of a nuisance than anything else. They’re just looking for food and water and many don’t cause any damage. Carpenter ants are more than a nuisance, however. Carpenter ants can damage the wood that they nest in and an infestation can become a serious problem if it is left untreated. A single colony of carpenter ants can result in satellite nests in your home.
Carpenter ants look for ways to get into your home through attic vents, cracks in your foundation or around windows and doors, and small openings around electrical wires, phone lines, and pipes. They build their nests inside the hollow of your doors, in wall voids, and other structural lumber that has probably been softened by decay or moisture.
Carpenter Ant Damages
Because carpenter ants spend a lot of their time tunneling through wood, the damage they cause to your home often goes unnoticed until it has become quite extensive. Some people mistake carpenter ant damage for termite damage, but these pests and the damages they cause are different. A termite will eat the cellulose in wood while carpenter ants aren’t eating the wood at all. Instead, they are creating tunnels and nests by hollowing out the wood. By the time you notice damages caused by carpenter ants, you’ve probably had them for several years and can expect expensive repairs.
How to Identify a Carpenter Ant Infestation
There are some earlier signs of a carpenter ant infestation that should trigger you to take action. If you see worker ants walking around inside your home, for example, you should call Adam’s Pest Control so that we can help you to determine if they have built a nest in your home so that we can quickly eliminate those ants. Ants will travel great distances to search for food, so you may have ants in your home that haven’t started building a nest yet – but once inside, if they find moist or decaying wood (such as in your bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room) they are likely to bring the whole colony in and get to work building their nest.
A severe carpenter ant infestation will be obvious from piles of wood shavings under wooden items or near cabinetry. You’ll also probably be able to see a hole in the wall, cabinet, or other wooden items where the ants have gone through the wood. You may even hear a faint rustling inside walls or woodwork as the ants work to make tunnels and nests.
Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
Adam’s Pest Control has experienced technicians who can help you get rid of an ant infestation in your home. Give us a call to schedule a consultation or for help with your other pest control needs.
