Carpenter Ants: Unseen Pests With Serious Consequences
Carpenter Ants: Unseen Pests With Serious Consequences
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What're your ideas about Are Carpenter Ants Dangerous to Your House??
There are small safe ants that get a crumb or two from your cooking area floor. Nonetheless, there are a lot more vicious ants that are bent on destroying your home from the in and out. These are larger carpenter ants that can wreak havoc on your foundation. Let's find out more regarding them below:
Exactly how to Eradicate the Infestation?
It's not simple to eliminate ants since they develop swarms. They have soldier ants that hunt for food and worker ants that adhere to the trail. Additionally, the ant queen stays behind in the nest to procreate and increase. Thus, this is what you need to do to kill the carpenter ants:
If you do not intend to manage all that trouble, the very best option is expert bug control. Even if you successfully eliminate a carpenter ant nest, you might have much more concealing somewhere else. Calling a reputable pest control business can help you eliminate the bugs and also stop them from returning.
What Are Woodworker Ants?
In fact, they got their distinct name since they like to chew down on wood from your house's structure to your furniture. Although they do not consume wood the means termites delight in wood; they chew on timber. They additionally excrete harmful things to pave the way for countless carpenter ants in their colony. Yikes!
These ants are additionally larger, measuring 1/2 inches to ? inches in size. Unlike termites, where the major indication is their droppings, carpenter ants harm the timber, leading to arbitrary bits comparable to wood shavings. When you see this, specialist bug control aid remains in order.
Exactly how Do They Attack Your Property?
Carpenter ants are attracted to wet timber as well as moldy ones. Therefore, if you've obtained a leak or wetness trouble throughout your house, these ants will penetrate that area. They can conveniently chew their means into your residence when the timber is pliant and also soft.
Additionally, they can additionally enter into your residence through splits, holes, or voids. Any kind of tiny opening where they can press through can be an access factor. It doesn't matter where they are because the ants can climb via the wall surface, pipelines, wires, and even a branch. Once they work out inside, they such as to set up their swarm near water sources, so watch out for these areas:.
How To Identify and Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants may not eat the wood they chew, but they can still cause a lot of damage to your home. Got carpenter ants? Here's what to know.
What Is a Carpenter Ant?
Related to bees and wasps, a carpenter ant (sometimes referred to as a flying ant) is a member of the Formicidae family of insects. Carpenter ants live in large colonies with workers, scouts and a queen. They can be found in wooded areas, suburbs and cities. They are one of the largest and most common ant species in the U.S.
To the untrained eye, carpenter ants and termites may look alike, but they are not the same insect.
What Do Carpenter Ants Look Like?
Here’s how to spot the difference between a carpenter ant and a termite:
Carpenter ants
Measure between 1/2-in. to 5/8-in.; Three body segments; Narrow waist between the abdomen and thorax; Large heads with elbowed (bent) antennae; A pair of wings (backs shorter than the fronts); Dark red, black, brown or a combination of those colors. Termites
Two body segments; Wings of equal length and longer than their body; A thick, unpinched waist; Straight antennae; Light in color or transparent. What Attracts Carpenter Ants?
The first line of defense against an invading pest is to understand what it likes and doesn’t like. Here are the main things carpenter ants are attracted to:
Food
Their main source of nutrition is honeydew excreted from aphids they farm. Carpenter ants also feast on the nectar of plants and small insects. Inside homes, they’ll happily eat protein and sugary substances left out on the counters and in garbage pails. In the yard, carpenter ants are drawn to the food in pet bowls and meat juices on barbecue grills.
Damp and dark places
Along with hiding in dewy, decomposing wood, you’ll often find carpenter ants colonizing behind dishwashers and air conditioning units, in the backs of moldy cabinets or around leaky pipes.
What Repels Carpenter Ants?
On the flip side, here is what carpenter ants hate:
Dry conditions
Carpenter ants need a water source to survive and thrive. Eliminating moisture in your home and standing water in the yard is half the battle.
Strong odors
Essential oils like lemongrass, peppermint, clove, cedarwood, tea tree and citrus disrupt their scent trails, leaving them dazed and confused. Do be aware that essential oils are not safe for pets, so don’t use them if you’ve got furry friends in your home.
Signs of Carpenter Ants In and Around Your House
Sawdust, insulation or wood shavings on the ground (extermination pros call it “frass”); Visible damage to wood (ruts or groves on the surface); Crackling sounds inside walls; Dead insect carcasses; Shed wings; Seeing the ants themselves. How to Clean Up Carpenter Ant Damage
If you’ve been seeing the signs of carpenter ants in your house, you know you have some clean-up to do. Use a shop vacuum to clean up any sawdust, insulation, or wood shavings the ants leave behind. Wipe down your surfaces, sweep, or vacuum to remove the shed wings and carcasses. And make note of any visible damage so that you know what all needs to be repaired.
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