Carpenter ants are destructive insects that compromise the wooden structures of your home when permitted to thrive. Winged carpenter ants are mistaken for termites. Identifying the companies for pests in Redmond can be helpful to tackle pest problems in your home. Also, you must be aware of ongoing infestations to address them effectively and quickly.
Signs that Carpenter Ants Have Infested Your Home
Carpenter ants like to nest in decayed or dead wood. Water-damaged wood is especially their favorite. In some instances, these ant species will move into your home’s structural wood from a nearby nest. Despite the destructive potential of carpenter ants, knowing what to look for provides you with plenty of time to control the problem properly and save your house from costly issues.
In general, the spring and summer months are the best times for carpenter ants to move out of their nesting areas. Usually, these insects are seen outside houses and in yards looking for new nesting sites. The presence of winged carpenter ants in your outdoor space is not a concern. However, if you see them inside your house during spring and summer, you probably have an ongoing infestation and must contact a pest control company for help. The presence of ants inside your house can mean that they have been infesting your property for years already.
In addition, seeing wingless carpenter ants year-round also indicates an infestation. These pests can usually be found looking for food since they prefer vegetable or animal sources of food. If such ants are discovered at certain times of the year, they may have built their nests outside your house, but nearby. You need to trace such ants back to their nest, get rid of the rotting or dead wood, and treat their nesting area to ensure they cannot move into your house. Generally, the abundance of trees and wet climate provide carpenter ants with their ideal nesting sites.
Other signs of carpenter ant infestations include finding materials that look like small piles of sawdust in random areas of your property. Such piles of dust are usually found in dark areas, corners, and crawl spaces. If you have a serious infestation, faint rustling noises can be heard in the walls.
Carpenter Ant Control and Elimination
To eliminate carpenter ant infestations, find their nesting areas inside your house first. Remember that there can be many nests in the same area. Thoroughly check your house inside and outside, paying attention to decaying or moisture-damaged wood. Also, you can identify the nesting areas of carpenter ants by tapping wood that has been compromised by the ants. Once you find these areas, you can treat them to prevent future infestations. For serious infestations, allow the professionals to get the job done for you because they know the particular solution for your situation. Also, they can give you tips on how to prevent another infestation from happening. These tips can include trimming shrubs, plants, and trees away from your house, eliminating any decaying or water-damaged wood in your house, fixing moisture issues, and considering regular pest control treatments.
