Carpenter ants are a common species in Texas. While they are a problem when they infest residential property, they don’t cause much concern in nature. Carpenter ants help promote the decomposition of organic matter. They also feed on dead animals and insects. Although this is the case, once they infest a property, they can cause dangerous damage.
If you are worried about carpenter ants, you should keep reading to learn about pest control in Fort Worth.
Signs Of A Carpenter Ant Infestation
Carpenter ants are larger than other common area species ranging between ½ to 5/8 of an inch long. They are reddish-black, have an oval-shaped body, antennae, and six legs. However, it can be challenging to identify this pest as they live inside the wood they infest. So to identify an infestation on your property, you should look for the following signs:
- Carpenter ant frass is a byproduct of this pest chewing through wood. The frass can usually be found under exterior wood structures, coming out of holes and gaps, near baseboards, and on windowsills.
- Hearing rustling sounds that are coming from inside the walls.
- Seeing carpenter swarmers, which are winged reproductives. These are significant indicators that you have an infestation or are about to occur.
- Noticing piles of shed wings near vents, baseboards, and windowsills.
- You may also notice changes in your home structure, such as sinking floors and warping walls.
If you see any of these signs, you should seek an expert opinion immediately to halt an infestation before considerable damage happens.
How Carpenter Ants Destroy Property
Like other wood-destroying pests, carpenter ants destruct property. However, unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t consume wood but instead create galleries and tunnels. Carpenter ant damage appears smooth and neat instead of the rough disorganized damage of termites.
Carpenter ant damage might not be apparent right away; you might notice frass on the ground or stuck to the walls. Carpenter ant frass looks like fine sawdust, whereas termite frass looks like coffee grounds.
Why Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Carpenter Ant Control Often Fails
There are several reasons why DIY carpenters ant control fails. Carpenter ants are often misidentified for termites or other wood-destroying pests. This misidentification can cause wrong treatments and the removal only of active pests.
If you focus on removing active pests and don’t initiate prevention steps, these pests will re-infest. These prevention steps should include removing all entry points and controlling conducive conditions like high moisture and damaged wood.
Instead of wasting your time and effort trying to eliminate carpenter ants on your own, you should contact the experts for assistance. Time is essential with any wood-destroying pest, as the longer they exist, the more damage they will create.
The Simplest And Most Effective Carpenter Ant Control
If you are dealing with carpenter ants in Texas, you should contact us at All-Safe Pest & Termite. We offer simple, safe, and effective control services for carpenter ants and other species.
The first step in our ant control process is a complete inspection of your property to identify signs of ants and conducive conditions. We will treat your property with a liquid residual product, and baits will be placed to prevent future infestations.
You can learn more about pest control In Fort Worth and how we treat carpenter ants in Texas by contacting us at All-Safe Pest & Termite.