Have you ever heard rustling noises in the middle of the night in your home coming from the walls or wooden structures? If yes, do not dismiss them as the usual creaks of a house settling. These noises may not be as innocent as they seem. These can be pests, particularly carpenter ants. This means your home has a carpenter infestation. These nocturnal creatures create extensive colonies inside your walls and can cause more damage than you would expect. But how can you know if you have carpenter ant infestation in your home? Because noise is not the only sign. Do not worry. In this blog post, we will explore the major signs of carpenter infestation, the damage these ants can cause, and how to prevent and manage infestation effectively.
What Are Carpenter Ants?
Carpenter ants are pretty big, usually black or reddish black. They get their name because they like to burrow into wood to make nests. Unlike termites, which eat wood, carpenter ants just chew through it to create their homes. This can cause some serious damage to your house if it is not dealt with.
While they are not really a danger to humans (they don’t spread diseases like other pests or rodents), they can still do a lot of harm to your home’s structure. Carpenter ants usually go after damp or rotting wood, but they are also known to infest wood that is still in good condition. They typically come inside looking for food, shelter, or a good spot to build a colony.
If you have spotted carpenter ants around your place, take it seriously. The sooner you deal with it, the less likely you are to end up with a major infestation and more damage.
How Did Carpenter Ants Get into Your Home?
In most cases, carpenter ants enter homes through specific entry points. You will be surprised to know that these creatures are opportunistic and cunning. They always look for easy access to food and shelter. If you are wondering how carpenter ants can enter your home, here are some common ways they may choose to invade your home.
1. Kitchen and Bathroom Entrances
You know well that kitchen and bathroom are areas with high moisture in any homes. Thus, they provide carpenter ants with easy access to water and food. Needless to say, kitchens often have an abundance of crumbs, food scraps, and sugar—which attract ants and other pests as well. Bathrooms are also humid and may have areas with water damage, making them perfect for nesting.
2. Leaky Roofs or Basements
Carpenter ants can also enter your house through leaky roofs, especially when there is moisture from rain or poor drainage. Additionally, if your basement is leaky or where water collects, it is an ideal place for carpenter ants to settle. Remember that these areas tend to be humid, and the moisture softens the wood, making it easier for ants to burrow in.
3. Utility Lines or Tree Branches
Carpenter ants can also find their way into your home through gaps in utility lines. These lines give them a hidden path to travel. If tree branches are touching your house, they can act as a bridge for ants to climb right in. If you notice ants in your yard, they may be coming from tree branches that connect to your home’s exterior.
4. Cracks in the Foundation or Walls
If there are small cracks in your foundation or gaps around windows and doors, carpenter ants can sneak in through these spots. They might seem like tiny, unimportant openings, but they give ants a way to get inside and start looking for a place to build their nests.
What Damage Do Carpenter Ants Cause?
Carpenter ants can cause serious damage to your home’s structure. If you do not deal with an infestation, it can end up costing you a lot in expensive repairs. The main way carpenter ants damage your home is by tunneling through the wood. As they chew through it to create their nests, they weaken the structure over time. Here are the main types of damage carpenter ants can cause:
1. Structural Weakening
Carpenter ants tunnel into wood and create hollow spaces. As they chew through beams, studs, and supports, they weaken your home’s structure. Over time, these tunnels get bigger and can cause major damage to the framework.
2. Cosmetic Damage
These ants not only weaken the structure but also leave visible holes in the wood. If your home is infested with carpenter ants, you can notice such holes in your furniture. You might see them around baseboards, beds, windowsills, chairs, dining tables, or other wooden areas. Needless to say, these holes can affect how your home looks.
3. Increased Infestation
Carpenter ants can multiply fast. They can start with a small problem and can quickly turn into a big colony. The super fact is that each colony has multiple queens and thousands of ants. This means that they increase even more if you do not act quickly. They can spread throughout your home, making the damage worse and harder to fix.
4. Contamination, Bites, and Stings
Carpenter ants are not known for spreading diseases like cockroaches and other pests. But this does not mean they are completely safe. They can still infest your sugar items. Imagine a trail of ants coming from a dirty dustbin and entering the jar of sugar in your kitchen. How does this feel? Not only disgusting but also risky. This way, they can also contaminate your food and cause diseases. Additionally, they can bite if they feel threatened. The bits can hurt and cause an allergic reaction. So, if there is a large infestation in your home, your life can be miserable.
How to Identify a Carpenter Ant Infestation
It is important to recognize a carpenter ant problem early to avoid major damage. The longer the ants go unnoticed, the more damage they can cause. Here are some signs that may indicate an infestation:
1. Presence of Worker Ants
Carpenter ants are mainly active at night, but you may also see them during the day, especially in the kitchen or bathroom when they are foraging for food. They are larger than normal household ants and are usually black or reddish in color. You may see them crawling on baseboards, counters or near windows.
2. Dropped Wings
A clear sign of an infestation is if you find discarded ant wings. You will often find these near windows, doors or other places where the ants have tried to leave their nest. If you find a pile of wings in one place, this is a good indication that there is an ant colony nearby.
3. Foraging (Wood Shavings)
When carpenter ants bore through wood, they leave behind something called frass. It looks like sawdust and consists of wood particles and parts of the ant skeleton. If you find small piles of wood shavings near baseboards, windowsills or furniture, that’s a pretty good sign that ants are nesting nearby.
4. Visible Holes in the Wood
Carpenter ants make small, round holes in wood for their nests. Over time, these holes can become larger, and you will notice that the wood feels soft or weak. If you see these holes in beams or other areas of wood, it’s time to check for an infestation.
5. Rustling or Crunching noises
If you suspect carpenter ants are around, knock on your walls or beams. If you hear a soft rustling or crunching sound, it could be ants boring through the wood. It may not be loud, but you can sometimes hear them moving around in the walls.
6. Ant Tracks
If you see a line of ants moving from one place to another, it means there is probably an active nest nearby. Ants leave a trail of pheromones that guide other ants to and from their nest. By following these trails, you can find out where the colony is located.
How to Prevent a Carpenter Ant Infestation
It’s way easier to stop carpenter ants from showing up in the first place than trying to get rid of them once they’ve moved in. Here are some simple things you can do to keep them out:
1. Control Moisture Levels
Carpenter ants love damp wood, so keeping things dry helps a lot. If you’ve got a basement, crawl space, or bathroom, maybe think about using a dehumidifier. If you spot any leaks around pipes or faucets, get them fixed ASAP. Also, check your gutters and downspouts – you want to keep water away from your house as much as possible.
2. Seal Entry Points
Walk around your house and check for cracks, gaps, or holes where ants could slip in. Pay attention to windows, doors, and utility lines. Even little gaps can give them a way inside. And don’t forget about trees or bushes that touch your house – ants can use those as easy routes to get in.
3. Trim Trees and Shrubs
If you’ve got trees or shrubs close to your house, keep them trimmed. If branches are touching the roof or walls, carpenter ants can use them as a bridge into your home. It’s a simple fix to avoid giving them a free pass.
4. Regular Pest Inspections
It’s always smart to have a pest control expert take a look around every now and then. They can catch any signs of carpenter ants early and take action before things get out of hand.
How to Deal with a Carpenter Ant Infestation
So, if you have noticed carpenter ants in your place, there are a few ways to go about getting rid of them. Whether you want to try doing it yourself or bring in a professional, here are some things you can try:
1. Use Insecticides
If you can find where the ants are coming from, you could try using an insecticide that is made for carpenter ants. Just make sure you follow the instructions carefully. Spray it around the nest and any other spots where you have seen the ants. But, be warned, using chemicals without knowing exactly where the nest is might not get rid of the whole colony.
2. Set Bait Traps
Another thing you can do is set up some bait traps. These traps have poison in them, and the worker ants take it back to the colony. It is not an instant fix, but over time, it can wipe out the whole colony without you having to go all-out on every single ant.
3. Call a Professional Exterminator
If the ants are everywhere and it is just getting out of hand, it is probably time to call in a professional. They have the tools and experience to handle it, and they will get rid of the ants the right way. Plus, they can give you some tips to stop it from happening again.
So, whether you are doing it yourself or getting some expert help, you have options to deal with carpenter ants. Just figure out what works best for you! If you are looking for professional ant control services in Mississauga, you can contact Bug Managers. We also provide pest control services in Toronto, Brampton, and other places in the Greater Toronto Area.
Conclusion: Carpenter Ant Infestation
Carpenter ants can cause a lot of damage to your home, but if you spot them early and act quickly, you can stop things from getting worse. Knowing what to look for and taking steps to keep them away can save you from dealing with these wood-damaging pests. If you think you have a carpenter ant problem, do not wait too long to do something about it. Whether you try handling it yourself or bring in a professional, the key is to take action fast. This way, you can avoid expensive repairs later on.