Are Carpenter Ants ruining your festive Houston Winter?
Posted by Lynton Web Team on Thu, Dec 22, 2011
Ants are a familiar pest throughout Southeast Texas all year long. But while an ant here and there during the Summer may not be much of a surprise, finding ants inside your house during the Winter can be more than just a bother; it can be cause for real concern.
Identifying Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are usually red or black and, depending on the species, can grow to a length of 1/2 inch or more. According to the University of Nebraska's Department of Entomology, carpenter ant colonies that grow in numbers of at least 2000 over the course of several years can begin to develop members with wings. These ants, referred to as "swarmers," are usually more prevalent during warmer months, but in climates like ours in Southeast Texas, they can be found during our usually warmer Winters as well.
Damage Caused by Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are often found making their homes in trees and other decaying or moist wood, making them an occasional threat to the structure of your home. Like other ants, they also tend to feed on dead insects, so an existing insect problem in or around your home can increase their prevalence. Carpenter ants inside the home are often discovered around and underneath windows, decks, roof eaves, and other wood-based areas of the home. Perhaps oddly enough, foam insulation is also a common home of carpenter ants.
Carpenter ants do not usually cause significant damage to homes and other physical structures unless colonies are left untreated for years at a time. So, if you identify carpenter ants inside your home, be sure to contact a professional Houston exterminator ASAP to take a look at the damage.
Treating Carpenter Ant Infestations
Like most ant species, targeting the colony itself is the most effective way to eliminate a carpenter ant infestation. Carpenter ants are most active at night, so do your searching then. If you notice a pile of sawdust, you're likely close. Also, finding evidence of carpenter ants inside your home doesn't necessarily mean the colony is there. The ants will often make their way into your home if your home is near their colony, so check around the outside of your house as well. Keeping trees trimmed and away from your home can help prevent carpenter ants from making their way into your home in the first place.
Spotted a carpenter ant or two inside your home? Found an entire colony in your yard, and need some help getting rid of it? Give us a call! We provide free estimates on Houston carpenter ant extermination services for homes within the greater Houston area.