Staying Ahead Of A Potential Carpenter Ant Problem In Orlando

What do carpenter ants look like? How do you get rid of carpenter ants? Are you looking to stay ahead of carpenter ants in Orlando? Here's what homeowners should know about typical nesting sites, whether you can hear carpenter ants chewing through a wall, what you shouldn't do about carpenter ant damage, and how pest control in Orlando can help.

Where Are Typical Carpenter Ant Nesting Sites?

While they can nest both indoors and outdoors, you can typically find indoor carpenter ant nests in areas where there is damp wood – like near windows, chimneys, drains, sinks, bath traps, or wall voids. Any area of your home with rotting, damaged, or moist wood is an attractive place for carpenter ants to nest.

A small carpenter ant infestation may not cause a lot of damage, but if the problem is left untreated for too long, these critters can cause a lot of costly structural damage. And, as the infestation grows, the parent colony will branch out into new satellite colonies, which can both accelerate and spread the damage around your property. Unfortunately, like many other types of ants, carpenter ants aren't always easy to get rid of, especially if there's a large infestation.

Is It Possible To Hear Carpenter Ants Chewing A Wall?

You may not always see carpenter ants in your home, but that doesn't mean you won't hear them. Depending on where they've nested, you may be able to hear carpenter ants in your wall voids – especially as the infestation keeps growing. Carpenter ants will make noise as they burrow through your walls, and it may sound similar to crinkling cellophane. Carpenter ant noises may also be more noticeable at certain times of the day, like at night.

These noises are very faint and even if you can't hear them, other evidence and signs of carpenter ants may clue you into an infestation. These can include:

• Winged ants are peeking around hidden crevices, walls, or ceilings, or even venturing out into your home.

• Shed wings from reproductive carpenter ants are left behind after mating season, usually near window sills, vents, or baseboards. These shed wings are small, but usually light brown or tan in color.

• You notice rustling noises, which may sound like they're coming from your walls or inside of hollow doors and windows.

• There are piles of sawdust-like wood shavings left around baseboards, window sills, doors, or other areas of higher carpenter ant activity.

While these are the most common signs of carpenter ants, you may also notice structural damage around your property as well, but that usually only happens in severe cases.

What Not To Do About Carpenter Ant Damage

Before getting into what you should do about carpenter ants, here's what you should avoid doing if you discover a carpenter ant infestation on your Orlando property:

• Don't ignore the problem. While it may take time for carpenter ants to cause significant damage, you should never let the issue go unaddressed once you've noticed it. This could lead to structural damage and will only allow the infestation to grow. If you know you have carpenter ants, you should take action.

• Don't give them more wood to damage. Carpenter ants like rotting, damaged, or damp wood, and keeping this around will only attract more ants. If you know you have damaged or rotting wood around your Orlando home, make sure you remove it from your yard or home.

• Don't try to solve carpenter ants on your own. Carpenter ant infestations can spiral out of hand quickly, and most DIY solutions aren't effective. You can waste a lot of time and money trying to solve these infestations on your own, which is why it's almost always better to call in the pros.

• Don't mistake termites for carpenter ants. Carpenter ants and termites cause damage in similar ways, but termites are even more destructive. If you suspect you have one of the two, you should always call a pest management professional for correct identification.

All of these tips lead back to the most important “don't” of pest control. Don't allow these pests to get ahead of you.

Carpenter Ant Extermination In Orlando

When it comes to getting rid of carpenter ants in your home, there's only one effective way to eliminate these pests from your home completely: contacting the pros at Green Flag Services. If you think you could have a destructive pest like carpenter ants, but you're not sure, you should always trust your gut – call us today at Green Flag Services to learn more about how our ant control program works or to schedule an inspection of your home.