Spring is around the corner, yes even in New England, which means that as we become more active and start to enjoy the outdoors again so do many pests, including ants. While nobody wants any type of ant species crawling through their home, there are some ants that are more serious than others and will need immediate attention. Carpenter ants are one such species of ant that you will definitely want to try get rid of as soon as possible using professional carpenter ant extermination services.
Carpenter ants are a large ant that can grow up to ½ an inch in length. These ants are black in color and while they don’t pose any direct danger to people, they do pose a significant risk to your home and other wooden structures on your property. Carpenter ants do not eat wood like termites. These wood destroying insects actually create tunnels for travel within the wood as well as nesting and living areas. The longer these ants are allowed to be on your property and in your home the more extensive and expensive the damage will be.
Carpenter ants that are already established and have a nesting area indoors are active throughout the year, while those living outdoors will be more dormant during the winter. However, both indoor and outdoor carpenter ants will become very active during the spring months, and remain so throughout the summer and into early fall. Carpenter ants will most often enter homes through gaps and crevices in its’ exterior while foraging for food. If they find the right environment within your home or near your home they will stay and create nest. I mean, who can blame them really? Finding an easy food and water source right next to their living area is considered to be prime real-estate for anyone, right?
So the key to preventing carpenter ants from invading your home is to make sure your property is not seen by them as prime real-estate. Since carpenter ants prefer to inhabit wood that has had previous water damage, making sure to repair or replace any water damaged wood in your home and on other structures (decks, porches, and sheds) on your property is one of the best ways to prevent these pests. Other carpenter ant prevention tips include:
- Sealing cracks and crevices in your home’s foundation and siding.
- Caulking gaps around exterior windows and making sure that screens are completely intact.
- Store outdoor trash cans away from the exterior of your home. Also, be sure that these cans have a tight fitting lid.
- Remove piles of organic debris; such as leaves and fallen trees from your property. Store firewood away from the exterior of your home.
- Inside your home, do not leave food out in the open on your counters and regularly clean up crumbs and spills.
If you do happen to find yourself with a carpenter ant problem or even just think you may have one you should immediately contact a Worcester pest control expert. At Big Blue Pest Solutions our carpenter ant solutions will provide you with an inspection and then customized treatment to ensure that these pests are eliminated from your home and won’t come back in the future. Call us today at Big Blue to get more information about carpenter ant control in Worcester!