When people think of the pests that are a hazard to their homes and businesses, they are more likely than not only going to think of the termite. While Albany has its fair share of termites, they're far from the only threat to your property. You need to be wary of another species of wood-destroying pest: the carpenter ant.
Carpenter ants have black bodies between 1/4 and 1/2 an inch long. Unlike termites, the workers in these pests' colonies don't consume the wood found in buildings. However, they do nest in it, damaging structural wood and costing owners significant amounts in damages annually.
The Five Signs Of Carpenter Ant Activity On Your Albany Property
Just like the dreaded termite, carpenter ants are incredibly sneaky pests, more often than not hidden away from sight in the walls, floorboards, and the like. Just because nothing looks wrong doesn't mean your Albany property is safe. So how do you know for sure? Take the advice of the experts at Absolute Pest Control! Here are the five most common signs of carpenter ant damage and activity:
- Hollow wood: If you want to check for carpenter ants in your home, the easiest test you can run is to literally knock on wood. Listen carefully for a hollow ring.
- Small holes: While most of the time, carpenter ants avoid exiting drywood into the home, exceptions have been sighted. You don't need to search for the workers themselves. Keep an eye out for tiny, circular holes in your walls the ants can fit through.
- Frass: Piles of wood shavings are bound to be left behind by carpenter ants below the small holes in your drywood that would serve as the workers' tunnel entrances. Just beware! Contact with frass can irritate the skin and cause other unfortunate reactions.
- Noises in the walls: Carpenter ants are quiet creatures, but if you listen in very carefully, you might be able to hear the soft rustling noises workers make to signal each other.
- Winged ants: Just like the termite, ant colonies will one day send out their queens-in-training, along with their mates, to start their own colonies.
The Ways Carpenter Ants Get Into Man-Made Structures
Now that you know how to determine the potentiality of a carpenter ant infestation, it's important to know how the pests tend to show up and, more importantly, how you can be prepared to block them off. Don't worry; Absolute Pest Control has you covered! Here are some tips for preventing carpenter ants based on the avenues they use to enter man-made structures:
- One of the easiest ways for wood-hungry carpenter ants to enter your Albany County home requires you to do all the heavy lifting. Whether you cut your own firewood or bring logs home from the store, always check the wood for a hollow sound before bringing it indoors.
- Walking a number of carpenter ants into the house can be bad enough on its own, but other entry points are just as bad. You don't have to hold your front door open to invite carpenter ants through; the built-in inch or so of open space will do that for you. Be quick to block the space with a door sweep.
- If you have any wood around the foundation of your home, the exposed lumber can serve as the perfect source for wandering pests. There are a number of treatment strategies you can use to fix the situation, but the simplest involves properly leveling the area, to hide the exposed wood around the premises.
Now that you know the most common ways for carpenter ants to invade your Albany property, it's only natural to watch out for current or potential intruders. If you discover these wood-damaging pests have breached your walls, it is essential that you don't hesitate. Contact the ant extermination specialists at Absolute Pest Control at the first sign of carpenter ants.
