Finding piles of sawdust in your home? You might have carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are primarily attracted to moist wood and food sources like sugar and protein.
Why do these pests zero in on your house, and how can you keep them out? Make sure to read on to find out more.
Key Takeaways
- Entering through cracks and crevices of your home, carpenter ants are attracted by moisture, decaying wood, and food sources.
- Signs of a carpenter ant infestation include sightings of winged ants, visible sawdust or frass, rustling noises in walls, and hollow-sounding wood.
- Regular maintenance, proper food storage, and landscaping can help make your home less attractive to carpenter ants.
- If you notice carpenter ants or signs of an infestation, it’s important to contact a professional pest control service for effective treatment.
What Attracts Carpenter Ants to Your Home?
To pinpoint why carpenter ants target your home, you must understand specific conditions. They include moisture, wood decay, food sources, cracks, and crevices.
Moisture
Carpenter ants thrive in damp areas. Moisture provides them with a suitable habitat for nesting and finding food. They are often found in areas with water damage, such as leaky roofs, pipes, and poorly ventilated bathrooms.
When these types of ants find damp wood, they start boring it to create nests. This damages the wood and compromises the structural integrity of buildings.
Wood Decay
The presence of damaged wood is a major attractant for this species of black ant. They prefer soft, rotting wood because excavating and building colonies is easier.
Decaying wood can be found around a home, including tree stumps, old wooden structures, and even furniture. This decay often results from prior water damage or neglect.
Food Sources
Carpenter ants are constantly in search of food. They are particularly attracted to sweet substances and protein-rich foods. Common sources include pet food, honeydew from aphids, and dead insects.
Easy access to these food sources inside or around a house will attract worker ants and encourage them to stay.
Cracks and Crevices
Spaces and gaps in walls, foundations, and other areas of a home provide easy entry points for carpenter ants. They are skilled at locating and exploiting these tiny openings to access indoor spaces.
Once inside, they often create nests in wall voids and crawl spaces.
How to Tell if Carpenter Ants Are in Your Home
Carpenter ants can often make their presence known through various signs. Here are some signs to be aware of.
Sightings of Winged Ants or Swarmers
Winged ants or swarmers are reproductive members of the carpenter ant colony. They emerge from nests to mate and start new colonies. Seeing them indoors strongly indicates an established carpenter ant nest nearby.
Visible Sawdust
Visible sawdust is a common sign of an infestation. Carpenter ants tunnel through wood, pushing out debris resembling sawdust or frass. This material often includes wood shavings, parts of dead ants, and other waste.
You might notice small piles of frass near wooden structures, baseboards, or window sills.
Rustling Noises Within Walls
Rustling noises within walls can signify carpenter ants. However, these sounds may not always be present, especially in the early stages of an infestation.
They come from carpenter ant activities like working and foraging within the wood structures. They are usually more noticeable at night when the house is quiet.
Hollow-Sounding Wood
Hollow-sounding wood suggests extensive structural damage. Carpenter ants hollow out wood to create main or satellite nests, weakening the structural integrity.
Tapping on the wood can reveal if it sounds hollow, indicating internal damage not immediately visible.
How to Make Your Home Less Attractive to Carpenter Ants
When you get rid of carpenter ants, your actions must create an environment less inviting to these pests. As homeowners, here’s what you can do to keep them away from your home.
Regular Maintenance and Inspections
Regular maintenance is key to preventing carpenter ants from making a home in your house. They are attracted to moist and decaying wood, so fixing leaks and reducing moisture is crucial.
Check your home for leaks in the plumbing, roof, or gutters. Inspect wooden structures for signs of decay. Seal any cracks or crevices where ants could enter.
Proper Food Storage and Waste Management
Food and waste management plays a significant role in keeping carpenter ants away. Ants are attracted to easily accessible food sources, so proper storage is essential.
Store food in airtight containers to prevent ants from getting in. Keep kitchen areas clean and ensure that garbage is properly sealed and disposed of promptly.
Landscaping and Yard Maintenance
Proper yard maintenance can prevent carpenter ants from approaching your home. They often enter houses from trees, shrubs, and decayed wood in the yard.
Trim tree branches that touch or overhang the house. Remove old tree stumps and decaying wood from the yard. Maintain clean gutters to prevent buildup of organic material.
When to Call an Exterminator
If you spot carpenter ants in your home, it may be time to call the phone number of professional pest control services. Beyond ant traps and baits, they can assess and put in place effective strategies for carpenter ant control.
When it comes to carpenter ant infestations, peace of mind is invaluable, especially when they are a recurrent problem. Give our team a call (866)-693-8495 to receive a free quote.
