How To Spot Signs Of Carpenter Ants Around Your Houston Property
It might seem strange, but some people actually enjoy reading about pests. It can be intriguing and insightful to study how different insects and creatures function. This is especially true when you consider that every critter has a multitude of subspecies. Believe it or not, each is distinctive. They can vary in size, color, shape, and feature. More notably, there can be unique separations with behavior, diet, habitat, and risk factors. Ants aren’t excluded from this.
What all ant classes share is that they can contaminate food and surfaces. These bugs crawl about with inordinate amounts of bacteria on their bodies. Subsequently, humans can become sick with salmonella, viruses, and other illnesses. Some ants are capable of ruining Houston properties in addition, like the wood-destroying carpenter ant. Understand what their infestation signs are, so you can stop them with Modern Pest Control.
How Do You Know You Have Carpenter Ants?
Carpenter ants are perilous for Houston home and business owners because they shred wood while they make nests and tunnels in it. Usually, they fixate on moist or rotting tree bark, logs, and lumber. They access structures through holes in wires, utility lines, vents, and foundations. These bugs can even get to rooflines from extending tree branches. When it’s time for them to feed, they’ll prey on other insects or drop by your kitchen for sugary and meaty foods. Since the presence of fellow pests drives carpenter ants in, having them suggests a greater critter issue.
As carpenter ants devour wood from the inside and work outward, your walls and bases will become rickety and feeble. The visual wear will be astounding. These insects may not hustle as fast as termites, but the outcomes are equally overwhelming and expensive. Typically, folks aren’t aware there’s a problem until the worst damage is already done. Knocking on a foundation may be the only way you’ll see the ants appear. With all of this mind, knowing the infestation signs such as these, is a must:
- Finding mountains of wood shavings and ant body parts
- Seeing shed swarmer wings; they’re scaly
- Noticing clicking and rustling noises behind walls
- Having hollow sounding walls
Of all the ant subspecies, carpenters are some of the largest. They are 0.25 to 0.50 of an inch long. Some are black, red, or reddish-black. Others are yellow, orange, brown, or tan. The fat mandibles workers have helps them wreck wood. Swarmers use their wings to breakout from nests so they can build more colonies during their mating period. They tend to fly by light sources.
What Are Ways to Prevent Carpenter Ants?
By taking these actions, you’ll keep your home or business from being a prime target for carpenter ants:
- Close cracks in windows, doors, foundations, paneling, caulk, and utilities
- Add sweeps and weather stripping to doors and windows
- Have leaks fixed; those dampening wood should be repaired first
- Get rid of decaying trees and wood
- Put trash and food in containers with tight lids
- Clean your dishes and vacuum regularly
- Sit plants and free wood two feet away from your property
- Call Modern Pest Control if you have pests that carpenter ants eat.
How Will Modern Pest Control Eliminate Carpenter Ants?
We at Modern Pest Control have a five-step process for exterminating ants. After a thorough examination, our licensed technicians will design a custom treatment plan. Our safe, but potent, solutions may include gel baits, liquids, and exclusion methods. Entry points and property vulnerabilities will also be addressed. Our team will continue to follow-up to ensure that things are going smoothly. Give us a call today at Modern Pest Control and you’ll receive a free inspection with no obligation when you do!