Dealing with ants can be frustrating no matter what species they are, but the carpenter ant often proves the most troublesome as they can cause major damage to your home. Furthermore, carpenter ants are year-round pests while other species of ants are more common during warmer months of the year.
Carpenter ants are important to the ecosystem as they aid in the decay and decomposition of organic matter. In your home, however, they are not as helpful. Carpenter ants don't actually eat wood. Rather, they carve channels through the wood to create tunnels leading to their nests.
Identifying Carpenter Ants
In order to tell if you’re dealing a carpenter ant, you need to know what they look like. Carpenter ants operate within a caste system. Most likely, if you spot a carpenter ant, you will see a worker ant.
The worker ants are usually black, dark brown, red and black, or yellow and can range in size from 3.5 mm to 13 mm. Carpenter ants also have a rounded thorax and a single node that connects their thorax and abdomen. After a couple of years, these ants will develop wings.
How To Prevent Carpenter Ant Infestations
Carpenter ants tend to come indoors to look for food and shelter. During the winter, they may be seeking a place to make their nests where they can survive the cold. A home can also offer a lot of food to support the colony.
Carpenter ants are a double threat when they’re in your home because they don’t actually eat wood. They use wood to create tunnels for their nests, and in the process, they cause a lot of damage to the wooden structures in your home.
When living inside homes, carpenter ants will search for a food source. They tend to eat things like sweets, pet food, meat, jelly, and syrup.
As a result, you want to eliminate access to any food sources that may attract carpenter ants to your home. Clean up crumbs, wipe down counter tops, don't leave uneaten pet food on the floor, and store pantry items in sealed plastic or glass containers.
Not only do you want to eliminate food sources, but you also need to consider their search for viable nesting opportunities. This can be tricky, but there are some precautionary measures you can take to deter carpenter ants:
- Remove wood on your property or in your home that’s been water damaged.
- Keep firewood and other wood away from your home.
- Get rid of dead tree stumps.
- Reduce moisture in your home by fixing leaky pipes and faucets.
If you do find you have an infestation underway, the best way to eliminate these pests is to contact the professionals.
Getting Rid of Carpenter Ants
Our licensed experts at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators have the experience and tools necessary to make your carpenter ant infestation a thing of the past. If you're worried about a potential infestation or detect a current problem, reach out to us today. We service both residential and commercial facilities throughout the Quad-City Area. We will work with you to identify and eliminate your carpenter ant problem quickly and effectively.