Carpenter ants are one of the most frequently encountered pests across the globe. These ants, which belong to the Camponotus family, can severely damage infrastructure or homes that use wood. There are about a thousand different kinds of carpenter ants that invade homes in the US, making it quite challenging to identify each and every carpenter ant encountered.

How to Identify a Carpenter Ant

The most common type of carpenter ant that invades homes is the black carpenter ant. The sizes of these black carpenter ants usually range from a quarter to half an inch in length. To further identify them from other types of ants, black carpenter ants have a single node on their petiole. They are usually dark in color, and they have a thorax that is evenly rounded. Carpenter ants usually reside in rotten, hollow wood. When they have established a good location for their colony, they expand into the surrounding adjacent, undamaged wood by excavating and creating tunnels in order to support the growing colony. This is why carpenter ants are usually mistaken for termites.

Carpenter Ants Vs. Termites

Carpenter ants and termites both infest wood structures, but they differ in a lot of aspects. They have different body structures, body color, and consume an entirely different type of food. Carpenter ants are usually red or black in color, as compared to termites, which are pale yellow to light brown. Carpenter ants are indeed known to cause extensive structural damage to homes and buildings by creating tunnels and excavating the wood structure to make nests. These ants, however, do not consume the wood like termites do. Carpenter ants feed on insects, sugar, and protein; termites, on the other hand, feed on cellulose which is found mainly on wood, leaves, feces of herbivores, and other materials made of cellulose.

How to Identify Carpenter Ant Infestation

To determine if a house or an establishment is infested with carpenter ants, look for the following signs:
• Visible wood shavings near wall crevices, moldings, and sidings
• Wood damage, especially on moist wood
• Ants searching and gathering food, especially at night
• Rustling, clicking sounds on the walls

How to Prevent Carpenter Ant Invasion

Preventing carpenter ant infestation can be done in several ways:
• Use toxic bait which ants can carry to the colony; use a product that takes effect for about two to three days to fully eradicate the colony from the inside
• Never spray insecticide to entrances of the colony, especially if it is not visible from outside the wall; spraying insecticide to the entrance will alert the workers and will force them to pursue other parts of the house for newer, safer location for the colony
• Directly remove the visible colonies, especially the carpenter ant queen
• Always make sure that there is no moist or wet wood anywhere in the house
• Regularly take out the trash, and keep it sealed
• Make sure to keep everything nice and clean inside the house or establishment

Depending on the severity of the infestation, getting rid of carpenter ants may not be easy if done alone. Professional help is definitely needed in order to fully protect the home from carpenter ant invasion. If you notice that you are starting to have an ant problem, call Preventive Pest Control. For a free inspection, click Ant Control.