Carpenter ants in Yakima County can be a severe problem and leave behind significant damage. It is essential to learn how to identify the type of ant invading your property so you can avoid carpenter ant damage to your home and eliminate this pest. Pest control in Yakima County provided by Prosite can help with this.
What Do Carpenter Ants Look Like?
Carpenter ants in Yakima County are fortunately very recognizable amongst all the ant species in the area. This is because carpenter ants are the largest type of ant around, typically growing up to 13 mm in length. They have a shiny black coloration for the most part but depend on their role in the colony that may have other colors such as dark brown or reddish-brown abdomens. Other traits that make the carpenter ant distinct are its heart-shaped head, rounded thorax, and tiny hairs on the end of its body.
If I See One Does That Mean There Are More?
Seeing one carpenter ant around your home may not mean that you have a current infestation all the time, but it is cause for concern. Carpenter ants tend to send out scouts to scavenge for food; seeing ants in your home may be a sign that more ants are on their way to move in.
Alternately, seeing one or two ants around your home may be a sign that carpenter ants have already moved in and are tunneling into the wooden structures of your home. Suppose you want to avoid carpenter ant damage to your home. In that case, you should be looking into professional carpenter ant treatment at the first signs of this pest – proactive treatment is better than allowing an infestation to start or get worse.
What Does Carpenter Ant Damage Look Like?
Being aware of signs of carpenter ants in your house also means being informed about what carpenter ant damage looks like. This can help you catch an infestation and eradicate it before the damage becomes even more widespread. In general, carpenter ant damage can look like:
- Piles of wood shavings (commonly known as frass) along baseboards, floors, or walls
- Smooth tunnels or galleries on wooden furniture or inside wooden structures
- Hollow wood that breaks easily
- Tight-fitting doors and windows
- Sinking floors or ceilings, bulging walls (this happens wood warps due to the ants’ tunneling)
If you see any of these above signs of carpenter ants in your house, you should be reaching out to Prosite immediately, as only a professional inspection and targeted treatment can stop this damage from getting increasingly worse.
Can I Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants On My Own?
Learning how to get rid of carpenter ants may be somewhat difficult to do independently. While it is possible to understand what attracts carpenter ants (such as easy access to food, water, and wood) and reduce these factors, do-it-yourself (DIY) carpenter ant treatment can be pretty hit or miss because it doesn’t target the source of your ant infestation. Fortunately, our experts at Prosite are highly trained and experienced in carpenter ant treatment. With our help, the problem areas in your home will be identified, and customized treatments for your specific ant infestation will be developed, allowing you peace from a carpenter ant invasion and relief from the potential damage that this pest can cause.