Home & Cottage: How to Prevent and Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
Have you spotted larger than usual ants inside your home or cottage? Is sawdust recurring in the same area? Before you begin to panic, ants have colonized almost every landmass on Earth, so your situation is not unique. There are a number of steps you can take to help you determine whether you have a serious problem with carpenter ants. Carpenter Ant Identification Carpenter ants are one of the largest ants in North America. They range from 0.34 to 1.3 cm. Winged ants can reach up to 0.7 inches The most common colour is black. But some can have reddish or yellowish colouration Carpenter ants reside both outdoors and indoors in moist, decaying or hollow wood. They are also quite happy to nest in sound structural wood. Some common signs of a Carpenter Ant infestation in your home are: Sight of ants on the premises, sawdust recurring in an area, and hearing what sounds like crinkling Saran wrap or cellophane within the walls Seeing large-winged reproductives is generally a sign that carpenter ants have been present for 3-5 years, and the colony is well-established. Should I Be Concerned About Carpenter Ants? You will only see about 10% of a carpenter ant colony. During the summer,... Read more →