Carpenter ants

Carpenter Ant Control Tips

Carpenter ants can invade both residential and commercial properties. These ants can range in size and color, from black ants measuring half an inch or more in size to smaller ones with a reddish hue. But what distinguishes carpenter ants from other species is their smoothly rounded outline.

Carpenter ants usually attack homes during winter.

If you do find these ants inside your property during spring or summer, it is highly like that these pests are foraging for food or have simply wandered inside your home. As a Central Valley Pest Control Company, we often see ant problems pop up in the summer which can become an ongoing issue if not treated properly.

Carpenter ants can also be found building their nests inside old trees, especially in dead branches. Although most of these ants prefer to build their nests in diseased branches, it is not unusual for them to build a nest in the center of the tree.

The ants usually pose little to no harm to a tree. Among the more vulnerable trees are those that have been injured or those that have succumbed to a disease. The ants simply take advantage of these conditions.

However, carpenter ant control is still needed in order to prevent the formation of satellite colonies in nearby structures, including the home.

When these insects get inside your property, they will attack wood, not for food, but for the creation of nests. Carpenter ants create tunnels leading to their nests by chewing wood, resulting in a sawdust-material being pushed out. Left unchecked, carpenter ants can form satellite nests. Although these ants do not eat wood, they can damage wooden structures.

The first step toward achieving effective management of carpenter ants is locating the nests of these insects. For most people, this can be a difficult task, especially if only a handful of these ants are found moving around. Locating the nest requires patience. Furthermore, the task of finding the nest is best done during the night when these ants are most active. Another sign of an infestation is the presence of sawdust in nearby areas.

Once the nest has been found, you can use products specifically formulated for the control of these ants. Stay away from ant baits as most of these rarely work against carpenter ants.

For trees that have been invaded by carpenter ants, you can use dust insecticides, specifically those that contain pyrethroids or carbaryl.

If you have found little to no success in dealing with carpenter ants on your own or if you want the problem dealt with correctly the first time, consult a trusted Modesto pest control company.