Of all the ant species you might find infesting your Syracuse property, carpenter ants are perhaps the most destructive. Carpenter ants build their nests inside wood. In doing so, they destroy the wood in the process, which means you could end up with extensive damage to your Syracuse home should carpenter ants get inside. Because carpenter ants are so destructive, people need to know the factors that attract them to homes in the first place. That way, you can take the necessary steps to reduce these factors and make your house less accessible to these destructive pests. Also, if your home does become infested, you need to know the effective carpenter ant solutions that you can count on to get rid of them.
What Do Carpenter Ants Look Like?
Carpenter ants are large ants that grow to about five-eighths of an inch long. They can be black, red, or a combination of the two. Carpenter ants live in colonies that consist of three castes — workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Reproductives have wings, which is another easy way to tell if the ants in your home are carpenter ants.
Since carpenter ants destroy wood, many people confuse them with termites. However, carpenter ants are larger than most termite species. Furthermore, carpenter ants do not eat wood as termites do; they build their nests inside of it. As such, you might see carpenter ants walking around your home, foraging for food. Spotting termites in your home is unlikely.
Factors That Attract Carpenter Ants To Homes
Because carpenter ants do not eat wood, they rely on other sources for food that might be present in your home. Things like dirty counters and floors or improperly stored trash can attract carpenter ants into homes. Carpenter ants also love protein and sugars, including dead insects and honeydew secretion from aphids. They will also eat pet food if left out. Given this, it is best to keep your home clean, wipe up spills, and take out your trash regularly.
In addition to food sources, water-damaged or decaying wood can also attract carpenter ants. That’s because wood damaged by moisture is easier for carpenter ants to chew through, making it easier for them to build their nests. To limit moisture damage, install dehumidifiers in poorly ventilated areas. Additionally, you should have any decaying wood in your home replaced.
Threats Posed By Carpenter Ants
The primary threat carpenter ants pose is the destruction they cause to wood when they build their nests. Although they are not as destructive as termites, the average carpenter ant colony has roughly 10,000-20,000 members. Large colonies can reach upwards of 50,000 ants. Therefore, they can still cause considerable damage to wood as their colonies grow in size. Carpenter ants can destroy structural wood, flooring, siding, wood furniture, and just about any other wood found in a home.
How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants
If you find carpenter ants in your Syracuse home, contact the pest professionals here at All Pest of Syracuse right away. The longer you wait, the more damage these ants can cause, so quickly addressing the issue is important. Our certified pest professionals have the equipment, experience, and expertise needed to eliminate any carpenter ant infestation you may be facing effectively. For carpenter ant control solutions for your home in Syracuse that you can count on, there’s no one better than All Pest of Syracuse. So give us a call today to learn more about our approach to carpenter ants.
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