Carpenter Ant Prevention

June 9, 2010

 

Prevent carpenter ants from invading your home with these helpful tips

Although carpenter ants play a vital role in nature, breaking down dead or rotten trees, their presence in homes and buildings is not welcomed. That’s because these large ants have been known to cause significant damage to residential and commercial structures and will establish colonies, excavate tunnels and create galleries in these dwellings and buildings if left unchecked.  If you are a New England homeowner and are concerned about carpenter ant infestations knowing how to identify carpenter ants as well as recognizing the conditions that promote pest activity can go a long ways towards preventing carpenter ant problems.

Identifying a carpenter ant infestation is oftentimes as simple as noticing an ant or ants on your property.  Ranging in length from 1/8 to ½ of an inch with the queen typically larger, this species of ant is commonly black but may be found in shades of red, red and black or brown.   Although these ants live primarily outdoors they will establish satellite colonies in your home and are frequently found in areas such as the kitchen as they search for sustenance in the form of live or dead insects, sweets, fats and meats.  They are also likely to be found in areas where there is excessive moisture present.  Rooms that contain pipes or have access to gutters are susceptible to intrusion as are leaky roofs. 

Another indication of carpenter ant activity is small saw-dust like particles.  This is referred to as “frass” and is created when carpenter ants enter a building.  Unlike termites, carpenter ants only chew wood to create their galleries and not for feeding purposes, so these materials are set to the side and not consumed.  Frass is often found outside of your home, around the exterior and appears cone-shaped. 

Carpenter ant prevention is key to maintaining an environment free of these large ants.  At Waltham Services we encourage home owners to take a stand against carpenter ants by implementing these tips:

• Remove dead, rotten or wet tree stumps on your property
• Replace any rotten wood with new materials
• Paint or seal exposed wood to prevent water damage
• Store firewood off the ground, away from the structure and only purchase one season of firewood at a time
• Trim trees and shrubs back from your roof or foundation to prevent a bridge to your home for these ants
• Properly store people and pet food so that it is completely sealed
• Keep cabinets, counters, floors and pantries clear of food debris

If carpenter ants have already made their way into your home then contacting Waltham Services is the ideal solution.  Although carpenter ants are one of the most common pest problems in Boston, Scarborough, and Waltham and throughout New England, they are also one of the toughest to resolve.  That’s because their nest is often located several feet away from the infested structure and to properly eliminate the problem you must eradicate the entire colony and not just the worker ants that are foraging.  Do-it-yourself treatments typically kill the working population of ants but do not effectively get rid of the colony which allows them to come back over and over again.  Our carpenter ant control is a highly effective, eco-friendly solution to your problem and is available throughout New England.  To find out more or to schedule your service, please contact us.

Latest News