Guide To Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants can also be difficult at times to tell apart from other ant species, but there are a few characteristics you can watch out for. These ants are dark brown to black and can have wings. But, the best way to identify carpenter ants is by watching their behavior. They move in long, straight lines and will often be seen marching in an orderly fashion into buildings. They also have one node that connects their thorax and abdomen instead of the more typical double node.
Why Are Carpenter Ants Attracted To My Property?
Carpenter ants are a two-fold problem. While they tunnel out wood, they also get into other food sources just like other ants. They can be found foraging in kitchens and are attracted to all kinds of food items including proteins and sugars. They are likely to get into pantries and cupboards, and anything they come into contact with will need to be thrown out.
They are also particularly attracted to honeydew secretions from aphids, dead insects, and even pet food. This means that having infestations of other insects or having aphids on your plants can make your property more appealing to carpenter ants.
How Much Damage Can Carpenter Ants Cause?
While in nature, carpenter ants will create their nests in trees, once they get onto Eugene properties, they can get into and damage all kinds of wooden items. This means they can destroy floorings, walls, wooden decks, furniture, and more. The amount of damage they inflict will vary based on how large the infestation is and how long it's allowed to go unchecked. Over time, the infestation can get so severe that you’ll end up spending thousands of dollars on repairs.
Even if you do identify a carpenter ant problem quickly, they are a difficult pest to eradicate. They can burrow into many difficult-to-reach areas, and many DIY methods such as natural solutions and even insecticides don’t always eliminate the entire colony. Their nests can be sprawling and contain thousands of individual ants making it so that the infestation just keeps coming back.
So, How Do You Remove Carpenter Ants?
While trying to remove these pests on your own is usually a losing game that wastes your precious time and money, there is one effective way to remove and prevent carpenter ants: professional pest control treatments. If you find yourself facing a carpenter ant problem, we can help!
The experts at Infinity Pest Solutions have been in business for over ten years, and we provide ongoing residential and commercial pest control services for Eugene properties that will get rid of carpenter ants and any other ant species. We make it easy to get started by offering free estimates, so give us a call or fill out the form below to get started.