It’s safe to say that nobody wants any kind of pests in their home. However, the ones you really want to keep out are the pests that can cause costly damage to the structure of the home itself. One such pest that we have to deal with here in Orange County is the carpenter ant. What’s worse, the longer a carpenter ant colony is allowed to exist inside a home, the more damage it can end up causing. In fact, if unbothered, a carpenter ant colony can grow to the size of 50,000 ants. Therefore, it is important to know the signs of a carpenter ant infestation. That way you can take care of it before it has time to cause too much damage to your Orange County home.
Identifying Carpenter Ants
The first step in pest control is knowing how to properly identify the pest you’re dealing with. Carpenter ants have segmented bodies, six legs, antennae, and strong mandibles with which they can inflict painful bites. They grow to be about 5/8th of an inch long and are usually black, brown, or red in color. Additionally, the swarmers, which are the ants tasked with setting out to create new colonies, have wings.
Because of their ability to cause all sorts of damage to the wood inside of homes, carpenter ants are often confused with termites. However, while termites eat the wood in homes, carpenter ants only use it to build their nests inside of. Therefore, letting their colonies grow larger means more damage to your home.
Signs Of A Carpenter Ant Infestation
The faster you can identify a carpenter ant infestation, the less damage it will be able to cause. That’s why you need to know what the signs of an infestation are.
First, because carpenter ants do not eat the wood in which they are living, they must venture out to find food. Therefore, spotting the ants themselves is the easiest way to know if you have an infestation. Other signs of an infestation include:
- The appearance of small holes in the wood of your home.
- Wood shavings on the floor beneath the holes.
- Soft, rustling noises coming from the walls.
- The appearance of the shed wings of swarmers.
If you notice any of these signs, contact the pest professionals here at Admiral Pest Control right away.
How To Keep Carpenter Ants Out Of Your Home
When it comes to keeping carpenter ants out of the home, the primary goals are to take away anything that might be attracting them inside in the first place and sealing off any potential entry points. This includes:
- Remove or replace any decaying or moisture-damaged wood inside of your home.
- Use dehumidifiers to help keep humidity levels low inside of your home.
- Properly store all food and clean up any spills immediately.
- Properly store trash in bins with tight-fitting lids.
- Install door sweeps under exterior doors.
- Install weather stripping around windows and exterior doors.
- Seal any cracks in the foundation of your home.
- Trim back any tree branches from the exterior of your home.
What To Do If Carpenter Ants Invade Your Home
Even if you take all the preventive measures at your disposal, you could still end up having a carpenter ant infestation in your home. If this is the case, don’t delay and call the pros here at Admiral Pest Control right away. Not only will we eliminate any carpenter ant infestation with which you are dealing, but we will also work with you to take the necessary steps to better protect your home from any future infestations. Don’t get stuck holding the bill for costly repairs because of these destructive ants. Give us a call now.
