What if i have carpenter ants

Carpenter ants will begin mating flights in a process called swarming. If conditions are right, the male releases a pheromone that stimulates the female to leave her nest. The first appearance of winged males in a home often causes homeowners great concern, as it signifies that ants are living inside the house.

Otherwise, the presence of a carpenter ant nest indoors is sometimes indicated by a rustling sound that will come from wall voids or from wood where the nest is located when the winged forms are disturbed. Carpenter ants feed primarily on insect honeydew, plant and fruit juices, insects and other arthropods. Inside, they will also feed on sweets, eggs, meats, cakes and grease. The workers will forage up to feet from their nest.

Although some workers are active during the day, most activity occurs from shortly before dusk until dawn. Carpenter ants build their nests outdoors in various wood sources, including tree stumps, firewood or landscaping. They need a constant water source to survive. Carpenter ants will enter the house through wet, damaged wood. Carpenter ants do not eat wood but damage wood through their nest building. If they gain entry to a structure, they can pose a significant property threat.

If you notice carpenter ants, contact a licensed pest control professional immediately to discuss a proper course of ant extermination or control, including a plan for how to get rid of carpenter ants. With summer being peak season for ants, experts at the National Pest Management Association are sharing the top four ant species frequently encountered by homeowners across the U.

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Wood is a versatile material. When introduced to fire, it can be used to keep people warm. When processed using the right machinery, it can be turned into paper for notebooks, books, and journals. It can even be used by carpenter ants to build a cozy home. As nice as this can sound, it can become a nightmare if the wood they choose happens to be inside your home. Want to know if your home is at risk? Here is a quick way you can tell if your Dallas home has a carpenter ant problem. One of the most obvious signs of a carpenter ant problem is seeing live carpenter ants around your home.

How can you tell if the ants you are seeing are carpenter ants? For one, they will seem much larger than your typical home-invading ants. Carpenter ants are the largest native species of ant here in America, measuring at upwards of 18 mm long. Carpenter ants are not as destructive as their close cousins, termites. There are some things in life that are obvious.

If your wallpaper is peeling off, it's obvious it needs replacing. If your toilet suddenly refuses to flush, it's obvious it needs to be repaired. And if you start hearing scampering, scratching noises inside your walls, it's obvious you have mice and need to do something about them. But there are some things in life that aren't so obvious. Carpenter ants silently eating away at the inside of your walls are one of those things.

Most homeowners are aware of the dangers of having termites. But fewer homeowners are aware that carpenter ants can cause similar destruction if given enough time to grow their populations. It is important to be able to recognize the signs of a carpenter ant infestation, so it can be stopped before too much damage has been done. If carpenter ants have invaded your structure, there are several clues that may be apparent. Some of these clues may be obvious, others may be hidden.

The appearance of large black ants inside your living spaces. While termite workers always remain hidden, carpenter ants will often send out a few scouts in search of food.

Worker carpenter ants are around 13 mm long, are black to brownish in color and they have one node between their thorax and abdomen. If you see 1 or 2 of these large black ants inside your home, it is possible there are hundreds, or even thousands, just out of sight inside your walls.