Of all the ant species out there, none are more destructive than the carpenter ant. Carpenter ants will build their nests inside wood, which means that they are similar to termites. If left unchecked, their colonies will grow and grow causing damage to the home. Let’s take a closer look at this species.
Why carpenter ants infest the home
Carpenter ants, unlike termites, do not eat the wood that they infest. This means that any piece of wood will do for their colony, but they do prefer to build their colonies close to a food source. This food source can be anything that we or our pets eat. Carpenter ants like to eat protein, carbs and fats, just like most ant species, and they will look for these macronutrients in your home. If these foods are not sealed, the ants will seek to set up inside the wood of the home, and take full advantage of their proximity to the food.
Can you prevent carpenter ant infestations?
Carpenter ant infestations are very hard to prevent, but there are a few things that you can do. First, make sure that they do not have access to food, and second, make sure that the moisture levels in the home are not too high. It’s especially important to check for leaky pipes because they can be an excellent water source for the ants and a main draw. Outside of these preventive measures, you will have to keep an eye out for large black ants crawling around in your home in order to identify an infestation as early as possible.
How do you remove a carpenter ant infestation?
When trying to remove a carpenter ant infestation, it’s best to work with a pro. These infestations have to be removed completely, and the queen has to be killed, otherwise the carpenter ants will simply recover. A pro can ensure that the colony is completely destroyed during the control process. In order to do this, baits will be used. Baits can draw the workers of the colony out of the wood, and the workers will take the bait back to the colony and share it around. Once the bait reaches the queen, it will poison it, and then kill it. With the queen dead, the colony can no longer reproduce and it collapses. For more information about carpenter ants, or if you have a carpenter ant infestation, contact us today.