What are Carpenter Ants and how do they Damage your Home
July 2, 2020Owning a home is often referred to as the ‘American Dream’ and there is no denying that it comes with a myriad of benefits, however, sometimes there are problems such as pest invasion that pose a threat to your home. Carpenter ants are just one pest that can wreak havoc to your home, if not taken care of by professionals.
What is a carpenter ant?
According to Pest World, Carpenter ants get their name from their nest building, where they will excavate the wood and form smooth tunnels inside of the wood. Carpenter ants do not eat wood, they only tunnel and chew through wood to create nests.
The western black carpenter ant colony, when mature, contains about 10-20,000 workers, with large colonies of more than 50,000 individuals. There is usually only one functional, wingless queen per colony. Swarmers are not produced until the colony is more than two years old. They are produced in the previous year and held over the winter in the nest for release the following year. Swarmers appear from May until August in the eastern United States and from February through June in the west.
Carpenter ants tend to be larger than normal ants. Most people feel as though a simple insecticide bait will get the job done. However, depending on the size of the colony that has set up shop in your abode, you may need something more serious. A professional will need to perform an inspection to make sure carpenter ants are all you have, and from there, the expert can develop a full treatment plan to help make your home livable.
If you suspect carpenter ants, Rid All Termites is happy to come to your business and provide a free estimate for our pest control services. If you need to schedule regular pest prevention appointments, or you have an immediate pest control need, call us today at 901-377-9915.