We are so lucky that we live in a state where the temperature stays relatively steady throughout most of the year. We have great weather for outdoor sports, gardening, and many other events and activities, but it isn’t good in the sense that many pests will stay active throughout the year as well. One of those year-long pests is the damaging carpenter ant.
The carpenter ant is a very large ant that generally grows to up to a 1/2 inch long, but the queen can be 1 inch long. They are usually black but can be red, yellow or a combination of both colors. They have oval segmented bodies with a noded waist, 6 legs, and 2 antennae. The worker carpenter ants will have very large, strong mouthparts called mandibles. They have the capability to break through the human skin if they bite, which they will only do if their nest has been disturbed.
Carpenter ants will build an outdoor colony but will enter homes in their search of food and water. Once these ants have gained entry to a home, they will be drawn to water damaged, damp, or moist wood sources, but have been known to infest solid dry wood at times. The workers create tunnels inside the wood as they excavate the wood and leave the sawdust or “frass” behind. (Oftentimes carpenter ants are confused with termites, however, termites will actually eat the wood.) Carpenter ants will build various satellite colonies indoors, leaving the main colony outdoors, making these ants very hard to eradicate. Their colonies are spread out indoors and out, and it is almost impossible to get rid of them all, they will just keep coming back again and again. Damage to wood inside a home can go unnoticed for long periods of time, and if left untreated, the damage can be extensive and extremely costly to repair.
If you see these signs, then you probably have an infestation and will need to get the help of pest control service immediately to avoid costly damage.
- Live carpenter ants, typically found in kitchens and pantries
- Wood shaving piles on the floor beneath wooden furniture or other items
- Winged ants flying out from walls or ceilings
- Discarded wings under windows and doors
- Quiet rustling sounds coming from within walls
Preventing carpenter ants would involve sealing off all entry points into your home around the foundation and exterior walls. Keep moisture down in your home by fixing leaky pipes and running a dehumidifier. You should also keep all food items stored securely in airtight containers and clean up food spills right away. Most importantly, at the first sign of a carpenter ant infestation contact a professional right away.
If you need carpenter ant control in Upstate South Carolina and northern Georgia, you can call the experienced technicians at Spencer Pest Service. We can effectively tackle the difficult task of getting rid of the carpenter ants on your property and in your home. We have the tools, knowledge, and experience that you are looking for to exterminate your carpenter ant infestation and keep them from coming back. Call us today at Spencer Pest Services.