What do carpenter ants look like?
Carpenter ants are wood-destroying ants that are usually black, red, brown, or a combination of these colors. They are large ants, typically measuring between ¼ and ¾ inch in length. Carpenter ants have a distinctive, segmented body with a narrow waist and large, powerful mandibles.
When are carpenter ants most active?
Are carpenter ants harmful?
Carpenter ants can cause minor cosmetic to more significant structural damage when they infest homes and buildings and excavate the wood to create nests. While they do not eat wood like termites, their nest-building activities can weaken the structural integrity of wood.
Do carpenter ants bite or sting humans?
Although carpenter ants can bite and have those powerful jaws mentioned above that can cause pain, they do not pose a health threat to people.
What do carpenter ants eat?
Carpenter ants are omnivorous and often feed on insects, nectar, and honeydew from aphids. They’ll also forage for sweets and other human food.
Where do carpenter ants nest?
Carpenter ants prefer damp and decaying wood, but they can also infest dry wood. Common nesting sites includes trees and logs outdoors. Indoors, carpenter ants tend to seek out moist or decaying wood around windows, chimneys, sinks, and doorframes. Wall voids, beams, sills, and joists in home are other common places to find satellite colonies established.
How do carpenter ants get inside?
Like other ants and crawling insects, carpenter ants usually gain access to homes and other structures through cracks, gaps, and openings on the exterior. They also crawl across tree branches, shrubs, and even wires to gain entry higher up.
How can I tell if I have a carpenter ant infestation?
Signs of a carpenter ant problem include seeing large black ants, small openings on the surface of wood, sawdust-like wood shavings (also called carpenter frass) on the ground, rustling noises in walls or ceilings.
Do carpenter ants swarm?
Carpenter ants in South Carolina typically swarm in early spring in order to mate and establish new colonies.
What should I do if I suspect a carpenter ant infestation?
If you’ve spotted large ants crawling across the kitchen or on trees in your yard, or have noticed other signs of carpenter ants, it’s best to contact a pest control professional. There are a lot of ant control products on the market and while you might be tempted to take a stab at exterminating these ants on your own, we caution against it. Using the wrong treatment can make a pest problem worse, and using it improperly can jeopardize your health and wellbeing.
How do I get rid of carpenter ants?
To eliminate carpenter ants, professional pest control is the best option. At Harris Pest Control, we offer affordable carpenter ant control that includes a free inspection and effective treatments for homes and businesses in the Pee Dee and Grand Strand regions of South Carolina. If you’re worried about carpenter ants damaging your home or building, reach out to Harris Pest Control today!
How can I prevent carpenter ant infestations?
To prevent carpenter ants, keep your home clean, dry and well-ventilated, repair any water leaks promptly, replace water-damaged wood, trim vegetation away from your home, and store firewood away from structures. Regularly inspect your home for signs of infestation.
