While many types of ants are a minor nuisance, carpenter ants are a structural threat that can cause as much damage as termites in the tri-state area. Homeowners in Pike County, as well as our surrounding region of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are particularly vulnerable to these pests due to our dense forests and rural settings. Understanding the behavior of these pests is the first step in effective carpenter ant pest control.
How to Identify Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants and termites are often confused for each other because they both cause wood damage and may have wings, but there are easily spotted differences:
- Body Type: Carpenter ants in our region are usually large black ants with a pinched waist, while termites are smaller with more rectangular bodies.
- Wings: Carpenter ant wings are proportional to their bodies, while termite wings are usually longer.
- Frass: While both pests leave behind debris called frass, carpenter ants leave frass that looks like sawdust while termite frass looks more like droppings. This is because while termites eat and digest wood, carpenter ants just tunnel through it.
- Tunnels: Termite tunnels are messy and full of debris while carpenter ants create smooth tunnels.
Preventing Damage to your Home
As noted above, carpenter ants don’t eat wood in your home like termites. Instead, they tunnel through it to make nests and find their way to and from food sources. These ants seek out sweets, meat, grease and fat to eat. Preventing damage starts with simple steps that will keep carpenter ants (and many other pests) away from your home:
- Moisture control: Damp wood is an easy target for carpenter ants, so fixing leaks and keeping moisture away from your foundation, basements and crawl spaces will help keep them at bay.
- Lawn maintenance: Move firewood away from your home and off the ground. Trim trees and shrubs so other potential nesting spots are a safer distance from your home.
- Seal entryways: Fix cracks and gaps in your foundation as well as around pipes, wires, windows and doors where pests can get inside.
How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants: Why Professional Help Matters
Over-the-counter products might be successful in the short run, but these DIY solutions often cause colonies to scatter to new locations or to go dormant for several months before reemerging and making their way right back to your home.
At Masters Pest Control, we use a treatment that creates a protective barrier around your home. The most effective solutions available last 3 months or less, so carpenter ant treatment requires repeat applications to properly maintain your protective barrier. We typically recommend 3 seasonal applications in the spring, summer and fall as the best way to get rid of carpenter ants.
For Carpenter Ant Control, Call the Masters
At Masters Pest Control, our “Special Tools and Tactics” (STAT) Team is ready to solve your carpenter ant problem. Just like a termite infestation, carpenter ants can cause a lot of structural damage to your home in a short amount of time. Once you’ve identified the problem, it’s time to Call the Masters to schedule an inspection and get a free estimate: 877-546-9575.
