Carpenter ants are oftentimes confused with termites because they both destroy wood. The problem with that is that most of the time the wood involved is in your home! The difference, and it’s a big one, is that termites will eat the wood and carpenter ants just live in it. They will carve straight, clean tunnels through the wood to construct their colony. There are 24 pest species of carpenter ants found in the United States. They range in color from black, red, brown, yellow and orange. Carpenter ants are some of the largest ants in the United States and measure 3/8 inch to one inch. With their larger size come larger bite marks. If they can bite through the wood, they will break your skin. While they will not look for humans to bite, they are very territorial and will bite to defend their nest. Carpenter ants aren’t just a nuisance, they can cause damage to the wood structures in your home and compromise the safety of your property.
Signs of Carpenter Ants in House
Springtime will bring out swarms of carpenter ants. They are looking for food that includes sweets, grease, meat, and eggs and can be found indoors and out. If you find them outside, it will be old tree stumps and piles of wood that are rotting, landscape timbers and fence posts. Indoors, you’ll find them in wall voids, hollow doors and in the insulation in attics, basements and crawl spaces. You may find piles of wood shavings mixed with insect body parts or insulation. You may also notice foraging trails outdoors that will be more active at night and high moisture areas in the home may be used as nesting sites. You may be able to hear them too. If you hear crunching sounds, it could be carpenter ants rustling in their nests in the wood of your home, you’ll need to call professionals.
Carpenter Ant Prevention
Carpenter ants will find their way into your home in search of food, so eliminate the conditions that they find attractive. Indoors, cover food and store it in containers, clean up food spills right away, and seal any cracks and crevices carpenter ants and other pests might use as access into your residence. Outside, remove moisture problems, repair damaged or decayed wood to prevent nesting, store firewood above the ground and away from your home, and trim tree branches that touch your home and could serve as a convenient bridge!
Carpenter Ant Control
Carpenter ants can be very hard to locate and require professional treatment. Professional pest control technicians understand carpenter ant habits and can develop a control program specific to your pest problem. And we can keep carpenter ants from coming back with our effective perimeter treatments. If you think your home has a problem with carpenter ants or other pests, call Rentokil today!
How to Prevent & Get Rid of Carpenter Ants & Nests in the Walls of Your Orem, UT House in Salt Lake County and Northern Utah
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