When you notice ants around your home, you may not think much of it. After all, ants are nearly everywhere. However, if the ants you are seeing are carpenter ants, you may want to pay closer attention.
Carpenter ants are one of the most destructive insects in the Orlando area, as they can do quite a bit of damage to your wood structures. If you believe you have carpenter ants that are damaging your home or structures, reach out to Green Flag Services and our trusted Orlando pest control experts.
Identifying Carpenter Ants: Physical Characteristics And Behaviors
Trying to identify carpenter ants in Orlando on your own can be challenging, as they look a lot like other kinds of ants. Upon closer inspection, you may see the differences that indicate you have carpenter ants near your home.
How big are carpenter ants? The typical worker ant is about half an inch long, although queen ants can be an inch and a half long. Most carpenter ants are black, although not all big black ants are carpenter ants. Additionally, some carpenter ants are black and red.
Some of the most common behaviors and signs of carpenter ants include:
- Holes in wood as the ants chew it to create nests
- Chewing in rotted or moist wood
- Large numbers of worker ants
- Significant activity at night time
- Remaining close to sources of food and moisture
You may even hear them rustling in the walls at night if you have a significant infestation.
Carpenter Ant Problems: Health Concerns And Structural Damage
Carpenter ants do not create toxic chemicals when building their nests. Carpenter ants rarely bite, so there is almost no health threat from these insects when they are outdoors. However, when these insects find their way into your home looking for food, they can create some potential health problems. Carpenter ants can carry bacteria as they move throughout your home. They can bring bacteria into your food supply if they penetrate food containers.
You may notice carpenter ant frass in your home when they are inside, which is similar to a pile of sawdust. It may also look like it has insect parts in the pile. However, this frass is not overly dangerous to humans or pets, unless inhaled directly.
Structural damage is the far bigger concern when it comes to a carpenter ant infestation. These ants do not eat the wood as they chew through it; they are just building nests inside the wood. The holes they make in the wood could weaken it, though, eventually leading to a structural failure.
Proactive Measures To Keep Carpenter Ants Out: Tips And Techniques
You can take several preventive measures to keep carpenter ants away from your home, including:
- Don’t place mulch against the foundation.
- Keep trees and bushes from touching the home.
- Store food in tightly sealed containers.
- Quickly clean up any spilled food.
- Keep your trash cans tightly closed.
It’s important to take these steps after our home pest control experts in Orlando control your infestation, helping to prevent a re-infestation.
Professional Assistance: Vital To Total Carpenter Ant Control
Beyond performing some of the preventive measures we discussed earlier, the best advice for how to get rid of carpenter ants is to call in the ant control professionals. A trusted pest control specialist can diagnose your problem, figure out the best solution, work to control the insects, and return as needed to make sure they stay away.
Green Flag Services knows how to help you avoid carpenter ant damage to your home and property. We have a collective 126 years of experience with pest control in central Florida. For a free inspection and to take advantage of our money-back guarantee, contact us today.
Tags: ant control | ant prevention | carpenter ants |
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