GETTING RID OF CARPENTER ANTS LEVITTOWN, PA Posted by Admin
When large black ants invade your home, it's time to contact a pest management professional. Most likely, those insects are carpenter ants, and they can cause significant damage to the structure of your Levittown area's home or business.
HOW TO IDENTIFY CARPENTER ANTS
Because carpenter ants are larger than any other ant species in the area, they are relatively easy to identify. Still, it's sensible to have an exterminator provide an identification so that you know what you're up against.
• WHAT DO CARPENTER ANTS LOOK LIKE?
Insect experts describe carpenter ants as "polymorphic." This means that the workers, which are the most frequently seen colony members, come in a range of sizes between about 3.4 to 13 millimeters. They also may have varying colors such as dark brown, black, black and red, yellow or red.
Because there are many species of carpenter ants in North America, color and size cannot always be used to provide identification. Exterminators rely on the shape of the carpenter ant's rounded thorax, circle of hairs around the anus and heart-shaped head to differentiate these pests from other species.
• DO CARPENTER ANTS HAVE WINGS?
Certain winged male and female carpenter ants do make up a portion of the colony. Typically, these ants only develop once a colony has had at least two years to mature. They emerge in the late spring or early summer as a swarm, flying up to mate in midair. After mating, the queen's wings fall off, and she searches for a cavity in wood in which she will seal herself until her first eggs hatch into workers. When the colony is mature in two or three years, winged reproductives will emerge again to continue the cycle. CARPENTER ANT NEST Locating the carpenter ants' nest is critical to stopping the infestation. Once it is found, the exterminator can destroy it.
• WHERE DO CARPENTER ANTS BUILD NESTS?
Carpenter ants look for wood that is damaged or rotting when establishing a nest. The queen takes advantage of an existing cavity or may create an opening in rotting wood. Initially, the chamber is small, containing just the queen and her eggs. After the eggs hatch, the new workers expand the nest, sometimes excavating into undamaged wood as they make the nest larger to accommodate more worker broods. Each successive generation continues enlarging the nest.
These nests may be found in locations such as woodpiles, fences or decks. Hollow trees, landscaping timbers and wood used to build homes and other structures also are likely places to find a nest. The eggs, larvae and pupae of the colony may be hidden inside the wood, within wooden framing or inside gaps in insulation.
• WHAT DOES A CARPENTER ANT NEST LOOK LIKE?
Carpenter ant nests are excavated along the grain of the wood, and these pests tend to excavate the wood rings that are lighter-colored, meaning the rings that were formed in the spring. Carpenter ants keep their tunnels smooth and clean.
Any dead insects or nesting debris like shredded wood fragments are removed from the galleries and dropped outside. This is why cone-shaped piles, which may be called frass piles, are seen outside nest openings. However, carpenter ants also may deposit frass in unused galleries, which may make it harder to locate the nest.
• FINDING A CARPENTER ANT NEST
Carpenter ants are most likely to make their way into structures through the cracks and crevices that frequently appear around windows or in foundations. Ducts for heating and air conditioning units or the spots where utility lines or branches contact a building also are likely access points. Even ventilation openings in attics may be exploited.
When looking for a carpenter ant nest, the most likely locations include any wood that is damaged or that is moist. Water-damaged wood may be found anywhere that there is high relative humidity, condensation or a leak.
Look at any wood that may have been damaged by clogged gutters or damaged flashing, as these are likely nesting sites. The areas around plumbing in bathrooms and kitchens similarly are vulnerable as is anywhere that wood contacts soil. If there is poor ventilation in an attic, basement, crawlspace or beneath a porch, this also provides excellent nesting habitat.
SIGNS OF CARPENTER ANTS
Knowing the signs of a carpenter ant infestation is one of the best ways to obtain early help for the problem. Prompt treatment is critical, and it could save you thousands of dollars in repairs.
• SIGNS OF CARPENTER ANTS VS TERMITES
One of the best ways of determining whether the infestation involves carpenter ants or termites is to examine the damage to the wood. Carpenter ants polish and clean the wood so that it looks smooth. On the other hand, subterranean termite galleries are likely to contain mud and soil. The carpenter ant galleries also have "kick holes" through which debris is disposed of. The wood's surface otherwise may appear undamaged save for the presence of these holes.
• SIGNS OF CARPENTER ANTS OUTSIDE
When carpenter ants remain outside, they are not a threat to people. Nonetheless, you may see them occupying a hollow tree or a rotting stump. If the colony is placed well away from the home and other structures, then there may be little reason to worry about them.
However, if you begin to see one or two scouting worker ants in your home, this may be cause for concern. It is possible that the outside colony has gotten large enough to require one or two satellite colonies. These may be established closer to or even within your house. It is essential that you act quickly to address this issue before significant damage is done.
• SIGNS OF CARPENTER ANTS IN THE HOUSE
When carpenter ants make their way indoors, the most obvious sign may be visual sightings of a few worker ants. These ants may be foraging for food sources or looking to establish a satellite nest. However, this species typically is adept at hiding from people since the ants spend most of their time hiding within walls and in dark, out-of-the-way places.
As the carpenter ant population grows, people are more likely to see piles of frass beneath wooden items. Rustling noises may be detected behind woodwork or walls. If you see large ants with wings emerging from walls, ceilings or crevices, this is a sign that the infestation is mature and of long standing.
• SIGNS OF A CARPENTER ANT INFESTATION
If you see signs of carpenter ants in the house or suspect that an outdoor infestation is getting closer to your home, then the only sensible thing to do is to hire a professional to diagnose and treat the problem. One or two scouts can quickly turn into dozens of workers, and while you may not see many obvious signs of an infestation, that does not mean that there is no damage to basements, attics, crawlspaces and other areas into which you rarely venture.
If you have even the slightest inkling or a carpenter ant infestation, then the time to take action is now. The problem may be much larger than you realize.
CARPENTER ANT PREVENTION
Carpenter ants are an extremely common pest in the Levittown area, but that does not mean that you cannot act to protect your home from suffering damage. Once you know what attracts carpenter ants, you can take steps to make your property look less attractive to these pests.
• WHAT ATTRACTS CARPENTER ANTS IN THE HOUSE
The major factor that keeps carpenter ants coming back to a certain place is moisture. Damp areas are heavily favored by the species, especially if that moisture goes alongside some rotting, soft wood. The combination of rot and damp makes the wood particularly easy to chew, so this is the best place to establish a nest. If your home has any undiscovered leaks or if there is an old leak that was not properly repaired, this makes your home susceptible to infestation.
Carpenter ants also may be attracted by food. They eat a combination of sugar and protein. Generally, their nutritional needs are met by consuming honeydew and eating arthropods, but when they get indoors, they will eat any food that is intended for people or pets, especially food that is meaty, sweet or sticky.
Additionally, carpenter ants may come closer or into your house thanks to attractive debris piles. Whether the pile consists of wood for the fire or yard debris, the species cannot resist all of that damaged and potentially damp woody material.
• HOW DO YOU KEEP CARPENTER ANTS OUF OF YOUR HOUSE Since carpenter ants are mainly attracted to moist conditions, it is wise to fix any leaks that occur in plumbing and irrigation systems. Take steps to correct moisture issues in attics, crawlspaces and basements too.
In the kitchen, don't leave food on the counter, and store food in metal or glass containers with snug lids. Keeping garbage cans clean is another smart move.
Place woodpiles and yard debris piles at least 20 feet away from structures to discourage carpenter ant activity.
HOW TO TREAT FOR CARPENTER ANTS
Proper carpenter ant treatment involves the detection and elimination of all existing nests, including that of the main colony and all of the related satellite colonies. Failure to accomplish this will often result in re-infestation. Additionally, the complete eradication of carpenter ant populations is typically not possible with most do-it-yourself products.
As such, successful carpenter ant eradication should be left to a professional pest management provider.
Here at Newtown Termite & Pest Control we take ant control seriously. For this reason, we utilize a multi-faceted treatment process, which includes sprays, dusts, along with strategic drilling and sealing.
When implemented by our experienced technicians, our comprehensive treatment plan will work to ensure that your home remains free of carpenter ants.
