Carpenter ants can sneakily destroy your Western Massachusetts home. Under the right circumstances, they can cause significant threats to your home. Carpenter ants invade your home for the same reason other pests do; there's a substantial food source. However, while they are there, they are likely to begin hollowing out portions of your home to create their nests. While there are ways to detect carpenter ant activity quickly, most residents aren't aware of them. If you suspect an infestation, leave the solution up to Western Massachusetts pest control professionals.
Carpenter Ant Nests: Where Are They?
Carpenter ants build their nests in wood sources, such as firewood, stumps, or landscaping. They also need a constant water source to survive. They will often enter your home through damaged or wet wood and begin excavating tunnels for their nests. Carpenter ants can also enter your home through windows, cracks around doors, or through electrical and plumbing lines or other utilities coming into the house. These ants will also crawl along shrubs, wires, or tree limbs to access more elevated areas of the building.
Carpenter ants build their nest in old firewood, under stones, rotting fence posts, and tree stumps. The main colony is typically located outside, and satellite nests are formed in mid-summer, both indoors and outdoors. While their nesting behavior may seem similar to that of termites, carpenter ants do not eat the wood that they tunnel through. Instead, like most ants, they eat what they can find of our leftovers when they are in our home. You can avoid attracting carpenter ants by storing your food carefully and keeping your trash cans covered with tight-fitting lids.
Can You See Carpenter Ants on Your Wall?
Carpenter ants are typically the giant ants you can see inside your Western Massachusetts home. Black carpenter ants measure from 1/4 to 1/2 inches long. They have a single node between the abdomen and thorax and are typically shiny. While you may see these ants, you are more likely to see the signs they leave behind.
If you are seeing piles of wood shavings underneath wooden objects, the chances that you have carpenter ants are high. While they do not eat wood the way termites do, carpenter ants chew on the wood and push it out. These holes and piles of wood shavings are often found in crawl spaces, inside walls, or other hidden areas. If you have a clue that you have carpenter ants, you may be able to hear them at work if you press your ear against where they are working. You may hear a faint rustling inside walls or woodwork. Also, giant flying ants emerging from walls, ceilings, or other places are a sure sign you have a carpenter ant infestation.
The Do's And Don'ts Of Carpenter Ant Control
If you're dealing with an active infestation, there are early precautions, warning signs, and ways to try to reduce the infestation. The do's include:
- Know your carpenter ant facts.
- Replace decaying wood.
- Call pest control professionals.
- The don'ts include:
- Ignore the signs.
- Incorrectly identify ants.
The most common warning signs of carpenter ants include: finding small wood shavings, seeing carpenter ants around your home, and hearing faint rustling sounds in the walls. Another important aspect is to familiarize yourself with carpenter ants' appearance before determining the type of insect.
Professional Carpenter Ant Extermination in Western Massachusetts
When carpenter ant infestations are significant, or your home's conditions on your property are difficult to alter, targeted control may be necessary. This is best done by a licensed pest professional. If you misuse carpenter ant treatments, you could make your problem worse. There is also the possibility that you might think you've corrected the problem while carpenter ants continue to damage your property. Reach out to American Pest Solutions for carpenter ant control in Western Massachusetts. Don't take any chances with these destructive insects.