Why Carpenter Ants are Still Crawling in DC
11/16/2018
Are you seeing ants in your home? Are you thinking, "Hold on a second, don't ants go into hibernation in the winter?"...
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When it comes to protecting your home from carpenter ant damage, the first thing you need to do is recognize you have a problem. A carpenter ant infestation is an easy infestation to shrug off. Why? Because these ants often feed on food sources that are outside a home, rather than in your pantry and kitchen. So, if you're seeing a scout ant every once in awhile, but no ant trails with hundreds of carpenter ants, you may be tempted to think that your home is safe--when it isn't safe at all.
Reasons you may shrug off a carpenter ant infestation and why you shouldn't
"If my home is being eaten by carpenter ants, I'm going to know it. They don't eat wood; they chew on it. That means I'm going to find sawdust. Right?"
Yes and no. While carpenter ants chew wood, rather than eat it, they don't always push their sawdust (also called frass) out into obvious locations. Frass is usually found in basements, crawl spaces, wall voids, behind objects that are next to exterior walls, the garage, and interior wood storage locations.
"Termites live and feed inside wood. Carpenter ants don't. So, I'm going to see them around my home. Right?"
Carpenter ants are mostly nocturnal. That means that most of the time, they're going to be feeding while you're asleep. So, if you're expecting to see carpenter ants making lines outside of your home, you may want to reconsider that idea.
"Carpenter ants aren't anywhere near as destructive as termites."
Actually, they can be. Under the right conditions, carpenter ants can definitely give termites a run for their money.
Carpenter Ant Prevention
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Routine inspections for frass is always a good idea.
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Never store firewood inside for more than two days.
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Consider stacking firewood at least 20 feet away from your home.
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Know what a carpenter ant looks like. These are large, black or black and reddish ants with a single node between their thorax and abdomen.
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Know what carpenter ant swarmers look like. Some call them flying ants. But swarmers are a type of ant, not a species of ant. Swarmers of carpenter ants are hard to miss. They're big.
The best prevention for carpenter ants is to have ongoing pest control service from a professional pest control company such as American Pest. When you have year-round service from American Pest, you'll have protection from not only carpenter ants but a whole host of pests that can harm your home, your pets, and your family. Pest control service isn't just a quality of life upgrade, it is essential protection every home should have. To learn more, or to set up service, contact us today. Every home is better without pests.
