What's Inside Your Walls? How To Protect Your Home From Carpenter Ant Infestations
If you haven't seen any active anthills around your home this year, you may think you're safe. But, that might not actually be true. Not all ants leave visible ant hills in your yard. Some ants linger in the shadows, doing damage in areas that aren't visible. This is especially true of the carpenter ant. Carpenter ants like to stay inside their nests during the day and venture out at night. Unfortunately, carpenter ants can do a lot of damage to your home during their active hours. Carpenter ants aren't quite as destructive as termites. But, they can still wreak havoc on your home. Unlike termites that eat wood, carpenter ants chew through wood to build their nests. Here are three ways to protect your home from carpenter ant infestations.
Don't Ignore the Lone Ant
When you're looking for infestations in your home, you may think it's safe to ignore that one lone ant you find. That's the worst thing you can do where carpenter ants are concerned. One carpenter ant might not be able to do much damage, but an entire colony can. That's why you need to call for pest control services as soon as you identify a carpenter ant problem in your home. With quick action, an exterminator can locate the colony, and get rid of it for you.
Watch What the Spiders Are Eating
If you haven't seen any carpenter ants in your home, you may think you don't have a problem. That might be the case. But, it might be that they're hiding. To identify hidden carpenter ant infestations, pay attention to the spider webs you find around the house. As soon as you find a large black ant in one of the webs, schedule pest control services. That dead carpenter ant is a sign that there's a colony nearby.
Check for Exposed Wood for Grooves
If you have exposed wood around your house, conduct weekly inspections. Carpenter ants are attracted to exposed wood. Once they find it, they start chewing away. You won't actually see bite marks in the wood though. Instead, you'll see smoothed-out grooves or tunnels. It's also a good idea to watch for loose sawdust around the house. As the carpenter ants chew through the wood, the push sawdust out through the openings. Those are sure signs that carpenter ants have a colony in your home. You'll need pest control services right away.
For more information, contact an ant control service today.