Under no circumstance do you want to share your home with ants. But not all species of ants are created equal. When the little black ants enter your kitchen for food, they are a nuisance pest. What about carpenter ants, though? As their name suggests, they are attracted to wood and often confused with termites, adding to the theory of their destructive behavior.

Carpenter ants do cause trouble to the wood where they make their nests. They like moist wood, which can be found by leaks in your house and rotted wood outside. Of course, their nest causes damage, but the damage was likely there to begin with because of the moisture, and they exacerbate the problem.

So, carpenter ants to cause damage to your home, but mainly where there was already an issue. If you see one (or many) you know you have a whole other problem going on.

Signs of Carpenter Ants

You aren’t likely to find carpenter ants in your kitchen like other ants that come into your home unless you have a leaky sink. Here’s what you should be looking for:

• Leaks! That might be your first sign of carpenter ant problem. Consider windows, roof eaves, decks, porches, and other places where wood is damp. They like this best because it’s easier to eat through.
• Frass. AKA a sawdust-like material. When they burrow through the wood, they leave behind piles of wood shavings that are like breadcrumbs leading homeowners and pest professionals to the nest.
• Noise. You might even hear them moving and munching inside the walls or other wooden structures.
• Seeing an ant. These ants are some of the biggest of all ant species in the United States. They range from 3/8″ to 1/2″. While most of them are black, some of them are brown or reddish. The worker ants do not have wings.

Kick Ants out with ExtermPRO.

They have no place in your home. Your neighborhood pest pros at ExtermPRO are here to keep your home pest-free in Northern Virginia, ants included. Call us today at 571-620-1168 for a free quote.