If you have a carpenter ant nest on your property, soon enough, these ants may set up shop in your home. This is why it’s important to detect an infestation early on by finding where the nest is. Here are some characteristics of the carpenter ant nest that can help you understand how an infestation develops:
The colonies and the satellite colonies
Carpenter ants will mostly create colonies outdoors, but they will often come inside the home as well, which is when they become truly dangerous. However, just because a colony is in the yard close to your home does not mean that the ants are satiated. Soon enough they will start a satellite colony and its location may be inside the building itself.
Parent colonies may also be created in the home, and they can then create satellites in other areas of the building. However, only the parent colony will have a queen, with the satellite colonies consisting of just workers, pupae and mature larvae. The satellites can also be created in drier areas, whereas parent colonies are mostly located in areas with sufficient moisture.
Carpenter ant colonies and satellite are mostly found in moist areas
Despite the fact that satellite colonies can be built in drier areas, the ants still prefer to set up in humid locations. If a satellite is in a drier location, it will only house workers, because eggs and larvae will tend to dry out in low-humidity environments. When setting up in such an environment, the ants will choose wall voids, hollow doors, and insulation. This means that even if you do not have any leaks in the home, and the humidity levels are kept in check, carpenter ants may still set up a satellite colony indoors.
Colonies are affected by seasonality
Carpenter ant workers will move freely between colonies throughout the year, but the overall activity of the species depends on the season. Winged reproductives for example are only active in late winter and early spring. This caste of the colony is known as the swarmers, and they are active when a large number of queens and males are produced during the late summer. If you notice a lot of swarmers indoors, it is safe to assume that you have an infestation. Seeing worker ants indoors can also be a cause of concern, if it happens during the winter months. In both of these situations, it’s best to call a pest control specialist right away. Contact us today and we will help you get the infestation under control.