Pest Identification-Carpenter Ants
What is a Carpenter Ant?
Carpenter ants are social insects that use their strong mandibles to hollow out nests in wood surfaces. One of the signs of this particular type of ant is the piles of sawdust found near their nests, commonly referred to as frass. They are usually black, red, brown, or combinations of red and black. The workers in a carpenter ant colony vary in size from 1/8 to 1/2 inch in length and the queen can be as large as 5/8 of an inch in length.
Why do I have them?
Carpenter ants prefer to make their nests in decaying wood and then relocate to a more sound location. In most cases a nest within your home is a satellite colony which has been started by a larger colony located outdoors. The ants you see indoors are foraging for food. Carpenter ants are able to enter your home through eaves, window frames, door frames, utility lines, and plumbing.
Are they dangerous?
Carpenter ants do not usually bite. The real concern with carpenter ants is their ability to cause structural damage to your home or business.
How do you get rid of Carpenter ants?
Carpenter ants are extremely difficult to eradicate. Our treatment methods consist of the following:
1. Preventive measures include barrier treatment, pruning of plants near buildings, caulking of gaps, and treating the lowest 3-6 ft. of tree trunks and utility poles.
2. The parent colony must be located and destroyed by treating directly with an appropriate registered pesticide. This may require drilling into wood or wall voids.
Can I do it myself?
Due to the difficulty of treatment and the time required, carpenter ants are generally not a pest many people have success in eliminating. People should beware when purchasing pesticides and other products online as many are not effective. Pesticides can be harmful to people and pets if they are misused or mixed improperly.
How soon can you get here?
Wil-Kil is 100% committed helping you as soon as possible. In most cases, we can respond the same or very next day.
Is the treatment safe?
Wil-Kil uses the least amount of material as possible while still resolving the problem. We utilize natural products, baits, and mechanical means as a form of treatment as much as possible. When conventional materials are required, we follow very stringent guidelines for the use of the product so that is poses no threat to people, pets or plants. All products are registered by the EPA. Our service technicians will inform you of any specific safety measures that need to be taken.
How can I prevent this in the future?
Pest problems can be difficult to prevent. Many of our clients choose to continue service with our ant services to keep pests out of their home.
