Intelligent Pest Management Services Inc - Toronto Pest Management Services

QUICK STATS:

Color:

Black, red or a combination

Shape:

Segmented; oval

Size:

1/4 – 3⁄4 inch long

Region:

Found throughout the U.S., especially in the North as well as Southern Ontario

OVERVIEW:

Carpenter ants get their name because they excavate wood in order to build their nests. Their excavation results in smooth tunnels inside the wood. Carpenter ants range in size from ¼ of an inch for a worker ant to up to ³⁄₄ of an inch for a queen.

PREVENTION:

• Eliminate sources of moisture or standing water. Be especially vigilant in protecting crawl spaces, basements and attics.

• Trim tree branches away from your home.

• Fill any gaps or cracks on the outside of your home with silicone caulk.

• Make sure that firewood and building materials are not stored next to your home.

• Inspect wood on your property for signs of an infestation, such as the appearance of small openings on the surface of wood.

• If you suspect you have a carpenter ant infestation, contact a licensed pest professional.

HABITS:

Carpenter ants typically attack wood that is or has been wet. They usually come into buildings through cracks around doors and windows, holes in a structure meant for wires, or through wet, damaged wood. They will also crawl along overhead wires, shrubs or tree limbs that touch the building far above the ground. Carpenter ants build their nests in various wood sources including tree stumps, fence posts, firewood or landscaping. A colony can have multiple nests inside structures as well as outdoors. Carpenter ants need a constant water source to survive.

THREATS:

Carpenter ants damage wood through their nest building. Over time, an infestation can cause serious structural damage to a property.

DID YOU KNOW? Carpenter ants…

• can live in mature colonies of more than 10,000 workers.

• first invade wet, decayed wood, but they may eventually build paths through dry, undamaged wood.

• do not sting, but their bites can be quite painful.