Identifying and Controlling Carpenter Ants
According to Penn State’s Department of Entomology, the carpenter ants, like termites, invades homes and starts excavating wood structures to make its nests. They are different from termites, an important distinction, as pest control methods are different for the two insects.
The presence of carpenter ants inside a house does not necessarily mean that they have established a nest inside the home. Some carpenter ants establish colonies in dead logs, tree stumps, or hollowed-out trees outside the home and enter in search of food. The fact suggests that a good way of controlling carpenter ants would be to remove dead wood from within 100 yards of the house.
Carpenter ants generally do not create tunnels and nests inside dry wood but favor wet, rotting wood and insulation to make their colonies. Rarely will an infestation threaten the structural integrity of a house, but structures built near wooded areas are most at risk. Many nests inside the house turn out to be satellite colonies related to the main colony located just outside the home.
Besides clearing wood from around the house, homeowners can help stop carpenter ant infestations by making whatever repairs are needed for roofs and replacing any wet, rotting wood that is in the house. You should seal holes where pipes and wires enter the house.
Because of the difficulty of finding a nest inside the house and the toxicity of many pesticides, getting rid of a carpenter ant infestation is a job for a professional. For more information on getting rid of carpenter ants or any other pest problem, contact us.
