A seemingly relentless home invasion is from the obnoxiousness of ants. These insects will usually infest a homeowner at least once, but more is likely to occur. With effective products and know how on eliminating these tiny invaders, professionals can eliminate thousands of members in a colony. Carpenter ants are costly problem as they destroy wood throughout homes and business though most ants are typically just a nuisance. Today, we at Stewart Termite & Pest Control would like to elaborate on carpenter ants, a common ant in Pittsburgh.
Carpenter Ant Identification
Though they can be seen with yellowish tan or light brown, as well as red and orange colors, Carpenter ants generally range from jet black to dark brown. Carpenter ant’s average length is from about ¼ to 3/8-inches, as they are one of the largest ants in the United States. Larger mandibles are featured on worker ants.
Carpenter Ant Damage to Wood
Carpenter ants are attracted to wood that is hollow, decaying and moist, both inside and outside structures. Carpenter ants will excavate damp or damaged wood easily, which makes it their preferred venue to establish their nest and colonies. To freely move from section to section of the nest, they cut galleries (or tunnels), into the grain of wood in order to construct their nests and allow for passageway. Carpenter ants and termites are often mistaken for each other. Much like as if it were sanded down, a distinction in their excavating habits is that carpenter ants will keep their nesting site clean and the tunnels are smooth, whereas subterranean termites pack the tunnels with soil. A natural environment for carpenter ant infestations are the rotting logs and stumps, as well as dead and living trees. Especially if it were exposed to moisture, however, they will inevitably infest nearby structures and the wood within. Carpenter ants do not eat the wood as they excavate like termites due, but simply remove it, leaving piles of wood pellets where they been working, which is another fact that separates termites and carpenter ants. Carpenter ants prefer to indulge human scarps, particularly meats and sweets in addition to eating other insects.
Signs of Carpenter Ant Infestation
Below are the following signs of carpenter ant infestations.
1) In the wood from their activities, rustling sounds can be heard.
2) Discarded wings, parts of dead ants, and wood shavings that looks almost like sawdust are among the fragments of debris that is piling up near the tunnels.
3) Noting the flying swarmers that will eventually discard their wings and seeing the workers excavating or foraging for food. When colonies are established, swarmers are future reproducers that develop and if they are noticed, you know you have thriving colony close by.
Ant Control
Leaving you with damaged and weakened structures, furnishings, and other possessions that can lead to more damage, the sooner the carpenter ants are eliminated the better as they only continue to destroy the wood they infest. Call Stewart Termite & Pest Control for effective ant removal if you think or know you have carpenter ants.