Greenville residents have most likely heard all about termites and the damage they can do to the structure of your home. Maybe you’ve heard about them on the news or heard the horror stories from your neighbors. Termites tend to get all the press, meanwhile, carpenter ants can cause similar damage to homes and are hardly ever talked about. Both are wood destroying insects and they can infest the structural wood of your home. The difference between the two is that termites actually feed on the wood while carpenters ants don’t—they make tunnels through the wood in order to make nesting areas.
Carpenter ants are one of the larger species of ants, growing to be about 1/2 to 5/8 of an inch long. Queens can even be a full inch in length. Carpenter ants are most commonly black, however, they can also be red, yellow or a combination of all three. Their oval bodies are segmented and they have six legs and antennae.
They may initially enter your home while foraging for food and water sources. Once they are inside, they are drawn to wood that is moist or that has previously been damaged by water. Although, this doesn’t mean that they won’t destroy wood that isn’t damaged. If left untreated, the damage can become expensive and extremely hard to repair. One sign that you have carpenter ants is noticing piles of wood shavings on the floor of your home, usually found beneath wooden items. Other signs to help you identify that you have a problem include: finding ants throughout your home (especially in kitchen and pantry), hearing a quiet rustling sound behind walls, and finding wings from the winged carpenter ants under windows and doors.
Just like termites, carpenter ants are one pest you don’t want to have to deal with. There are a few general prevention tips that homeowners in Greenville can do to avoid them this spring. You’ll want to start by cleaning up the exterior of your property. Pick up any wood debris and try to eliminate any cool hiding spots where they could reside. You’ll also want to properly store food both inside and outside the home. Outside, use sealed trash bins and put dog food in containers. Inside, clean up crumbs and scraps of food that you might leave out. In addition to this, you’ll want to look into whether or not you have any moisture problems that could be damaging the structural wood of your home. By doing all of these you are removing the reasons carpenter ants were drawn to your home in the first place.
Getting rid of carpenter ants is a difficult thing to do. They tend to build multiple nesting sites around properties and in homes and they can be hard to locate. The truly best way to get rid of an infestation is to contact your local pest control experts. For residents of Greenville, the place to call is Spencer Pest Services. We have the experience, equipment, and knowledge to not only eliminate your carpenter ant pest problems but prevent them from coming back. We offer pest protection in the form of three plans: Essential Package, Outdoor Living Package, and the combination of both, the Complete Package. Packages include regularly scheduled visits and protection against basic pests, carpenter ants included. Don’t underestimate those carpenter ants—call Spencer Pest Services today for protection right away!
