Your home is probably the biggest investment you’ll make in your lifetime. So, when you find insects destroying your structure from the inside, it can be frustrating. One such insect is the notorious carpenter ant. While these ants generally prefer dead, rotting wood, it’s not uncommon for them to venture into softwood or hardwood as their infestation grows. Lawn Plus Pest Control Services often treats homes for carpenter ants, and here is what our experts want you to know.
Identification
Carpenter ants are unmistakable and easy to identify, even for the untrained eye. Most of the sightings occur when one or more worker ant goes scurrying across the floor. These individuals are large and black. Other carpenter ants, commonly known as flying ants, are usually red or brown in color and have wings. If you see any of these pests in your home, it’s time to call an exterminator. However, if you spot them while working in the yard or garden, you’re likely not in trouble. Colonies that exist away from your home are beneficial, and help clear dead leaves and twigs from your garden throughout the warmer months.
Destruction
While the insects themselves are easy to spot, so is the destruction they leave behind. In fact, there are several distinct signs that you might find in your home that indicate a colony. These include:
- Small piles of wood shavings or sawdust beneath door jams, trim, and along window sills.
- Hearing faint rustling in your walls or woodwork. This noise is an indication that ants are making new pathways and scraping away at the wood.
- Finding large, winged ants coming from your vents, ceilings, or floor joists.
- Spotting long ant trails in your lawn, indicating that the ants are traveling long distances to forage for food and resources for the colony.
Sporadic Sightings
Most homeowners only spot a handful of carpenter ants in a season, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have an infestation. Just because you don’t see these insects regularly doesn’t mean you should ignore the occasional sighting. In fact, if you spot just one, it’s a good idea to have your home inspected by a professional. It could be nothing, but you’ll save yourself time and money if it turns out be something. You’re more likely to see these ants on a bright, warm sunny day. On cooler, rainy days, the workers are likely tending to the next generation or causing more damage inside your walls.
We Have the Solution
Lawn Plus Pest Control Services proudly serves businesses and residents throughout Cincinnati, OH. Not only do we specialize in treating and preventing carpenter ants, but we can also help get rid of and prevent termites and roaches. Any insect that compromises your structure’s integrity has to go, so you should call us! We have the solution and are ready to take your call. Request your estimate online or contact us today at (513) 296-7378.
