If you're thinking that the cold temperatures of fall, and the eventual freeze of winter, will keep your Portland, Maine home safe from carpenter ants, you are only partly right. This is a pest that isn't going to take any holidays this season. If carpenter ants find the right conditions, they can stay active all winter long.
Sure, you won't have to worry about a new infestation of carpenter ants. Those ants aren't going to crawl through your yard and get into your walls once the ground has frozen. But that doesn't mean your home is safe from carpenter ant damage during the cold months.
The first thing you need to know about ants is that they don't hibernate. While it is true that cold weather can force them into a low energy state that can make it seem like they are hibernating, it isn't exactly hibernation. Therefore, they can avoid this low energy state and stay busy all winter long if there is enough heat.
Since carpenter ants can live inside the walls of a home, they have an advantage over other ants. Your walls are probably going to be a whole lot warmer than the soil outside. So, these ants will have the heat they need to keep chewing tunnels in your wood.
So, as you're getting your walls sealed up to protect your home from the inevitable invasion of overwintering pests, now is a great time to get an inspection for carpenter ants. If you've been seeing big black ants crawling around in your kitchen, or dozens of flying ants appearing on your interior windows in spring, there is a good chance you have carpenter ants in your home. Don't let these pests eat away at the equity you have worked hard to establish in your home.
At Big Blue Bug Solutions, we specialize in wood-damaging pests. That's why we have a giant blue termite on top of our office in Providence, Rhode Island. We knew from the start that protecting homes and businesses from wood-damaging pests was one of the best ways we could serve our communities. And through the years, our dedication has allowed us to grow our business throughout New England and, most recently, up here into Maine.
If you live in the South Portland area, you are no stranger to carpenter ants. These resilient insects can be found throughout the entire state. Let the experts here at Big Blue Bug Solutions help you keep these wood chewers from chewing on your investment. We know the most advanced protocols to locate and eradicate these destructive pests. Get your home inspected today. Don't let those carpenter ants have another whole winter to do damage to your property.