Carpenter ants are like mini excavators of wood that chew through it and spit it out causing holes in wooden structures and sawdust piles outside the holes in various places throughout your home. They are not like termites that actually eat the wood, rather carpenter ants burrow into moist damp wood to create nests. They usually stay outdoors but will enter your home through cracks in your foundation, vents and entry points for pipes, wires and cables while they look for food.
Carpenter ants do not usually nest in dry wood items as they prefer damp window and door frames, wall voids, hollow doors and structural beams. Any wood that has been softened by other insects, decayed or have the presence of moisture. The number of carpenter ants in each colony can be alarming. Imagine the damage they can do while they burrow into your furniture, walls, ceilings, and floors as well as weakening the structure of your home. Imagine how costly it will be in repairs alone, not to mention they will also become a nuisance to you in your kitchen or pantry while they forage for food. They can be unsightly crawling around the floor while you are preparing meals for your family or entertaining guests.
Here are some tips to help you avoid an infestation:
- Seal off all entry points to your home.
- Clean up all food and drink spills immediately.
- Keep foods stored in tightly sealed containers.
- Cover trash securely.
- Call a pest control professional, this is the only sure fire way to assure proper and complete eradication of carpenter ants in your home.
Carpenter ants are tricky, so you won’t be able to get rid of them on your own. Just when you think you have gotten them all, more workers will march in from other colonies. The one thing on their mind is caring for their colonies. It takes a pest control professional to find and treat all areas and colonies so that they have no chance of returning.
If you experience a carpenter ant infestation in South Portland, Maine, Big Blue Bug Solutions can help by stopping carpenter ants in their tracks. We can help you gain peace of mind that your home is protected against wood damaging carpenter ants and other pests that invade your home. Not to mention, we can assure you they won’t return if you sign up for our year-round pest control.