Carpenter ants, which destroy wooden structures while foraging for food, pose a significant threat to homes in Charlotte, NC. Able to chew through both damp and solid wood, these pests not only damage the structure of homes but can also invade food supplies. Homeowners are advised to take preventive measures like replacing damp wood and sealing cracks, while persistent infestations should be managed by professionals such as Aruza Pest Control.
Carpenters are craftsmen—people who use wood to build beautiful works of art. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for carpenter ants. Instead of creating with wood, carpenter ants destroy the wood in homes. This includes furniture, fixtures, and structural wood. These are some of the most destructive pests out there and can do a lot of damage if left unchecked.
This is why it is important to be able to identify carpenter ants and whether or not you have an infestation in your home, as well as the methods you should take to eliminate such an infestation.
Carpenter ants can grow to between 1/8 and ½ of an inch in length which is large for an ant. They tend to be black, red, or yellow, and possibly a combination of the three. They have segmented bodies with large mandibles capable of chewing through wood. In addition to this, carpenter ants have six legs and two antennae.
There are several causes for a carpenter ant infestation in a home. The primary causes tend to be nest building. While termites eat your wood, carpenter ants will simply chew through it while expanding their nests. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean less damage to your home. Carpenter ants will often seek out damp, or water-logged wood because it is easier to chew through.
Since the carpenter ants are not eating the wood, they still need to find a food source which sometimes is your food. While in nature, carpenter ants prefer sweeter foods such as honeydew, as well as insects that feed on it. In your home, they will seek out sweet foods such as fruit juices and sugars. However, carpenter ants have also been known to feed on fats, grease, and meats. Because they will burrow through the wood in your home AND possibly eat your food, carpenter ants are a double-whammy when it comes to infestations. This means that dealing with an infestation right away is paramount in limiting the damage they cause.
If you want to prevent carpenter ants from invading your Charlotte home, there are several measures you can take to help limit your exposure. These include:
If you follow these steps, you should be able to greatly reduce the chances of a carpenter ant infestation in your home.
Even with the proper preventative measures, it is still possible to have carpenter ants invade your home. If that happens, these signs are a good indication that it’s time for you to call the professionals at Aruza Pest Control.
While you can limit your exposure, carpenter ants may still infest your home. In such cases, there is only one surefire way to eliminate them, contact the professionals here at Aruza Pest Control. They’ll eliminate any ongoing infestations, help minimize problem areas, and overall limit your risk of future infestations with the right pest control solution. Reach out to Aruza Pest Control today for carpenter ant problems or any other pests you may be dealing with. We are here to help.
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