Carpenter Ant Invasion

If you live in the northeast region of the U.S., chances are you have experienced the insidious carpenter ant. In fact, when homeowners see them, they are never alone. They come in large numbers and they can be damaging to your home. Let's take a closer look at these pests that usually start showing up in the early spring. First of all, the name carpenter ant may be a bit of a misnomer. These ants do not build but rather excavate wood and leave smooth tunnels inside the structure. Keep in mind that the carpenter ants do not eat the wood (like termites), but merely hollow it out. The excavation is done to build nests and can be extremely damaging to the integrity of the wood in your home. The normal size of an ant colony can be around 20,000 ants with larger colonies usually topping out around 50,000 ants! Usually there is only one queen per colony. With these numbers, your home could see some serious wood damage. Since carpenter ants require a water source to survive it is a good idea that homeowners fix any leaks and drips that may be occurring outside their home around faucets and do the same for indoor water sources. It is also a good idea to seal up even the smallest entry points to your home including: windows, doors, screens, venting or pipes. Ants will usually have a nest that begins outdoors but may move indoors if the conditions are right. In addition, keep branches and bushes trimmed back from your home and keep firewood stacks a good distance from your home. In order to solve an ant invasion, you will need to not only eliminate the ants that you can see but also identify the location of the nest. It is also a good idea to evaluate the wood damage that may have been caused so it can be repaired. Finding the source of the problem can be difficult. We suggest contacting a licensed pest control professional who can assess the situation. Our technicians can evaluate your carpenter ant invasion and create a plan for elimination and exclusion. Call Pest-End exterminators at 1-800-287-4321, 603-382-9644, or 978-794-4321.