Why Are Carpenter Ants So Hard To Get Rid Of In Peoria?
When you hear "carpenter ants," your mind may conjure up cute images of ants with tool belts and hammers hard at work. Unfortunately, the reality of carpenter ants isn’t nearly as fun or as handy. These pests can be much more than a nuisance for Peoria homeowners.
Signs Of Carpenter Ants
If you have reason to suspect carpenter ants are on your property, or you just wish to be a diligent homeowner, you may be wondering what signs to watch for. Luckily for us, there are a few clues that carpenter ants leave behind to let us know when they are around:
Piles of sawdust will often be left behind after carpenter ants have chewed in that area. Typical locations would be baseboards, door jams, and windowsills.
Carpenter ants that are ready and able to reproduce will develop wings. If you already have a carpenter ant problem, you may see these winged ants coming out of walls, ceilings, and other crevices.
Once winged carpenter ants are done mating, they often shed their wings. Finding wings around the floor, windows, and doors is a giveaway that carpenter ants have been by.
Rustling sounds may be heard coming from within walls where carpenter ants are currently tunneling.
Small holes may be visible in woodwork around your home. These holes are left behind after ants have chewed an opening to travel in and build their nests.
Hollow-sounding wood is another telltale sign of carpenter ants. After they have chewed through wood, much of the structure inside will be turned to dust, thus leaving the wood just a shell.
Lines of ants moving between the interior of your home and your yard is a big red flag. Carpenter ants do not eat the wood that they chew, so they will often live inside of your home but scout food sources outside of the home.
The Extent Of Damage Carpenter Ants Can Do To Your Property
Carpenter ants, like other wood-destroying insects, can cause a lot of damage to your home. Carpenter ants need to burrow and nest, and they create a maze-like structure in which to live and raise their young. These tunnels can be vast and intricate within your very own walls. Due to the complexity of these tunnels and carpenter ants’ instincts, they chew wood non-stop. That is 24/7, 365 days a year of destruction to your home. Carpenter ants prefer damn wood, therefore they will first target wood that has moisture damage or is untreated. However, once they have bored through this more vulnerable wood, there is nothing stopping them from targeting treated wood and hard lumber. Wooden sills, door frames, beams, joists, studs, floors, decking, and furniture are all up for grabs in the eyes of a carpenter ant. This kind of damage, if left untreated, can ruin the structural integrity of your home. Additionally, thousands of dollars would have to be spent to make the home safe and sturdy again.
How To Completely Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants
Prevention is always the first step when it comes to pests. It is important to close off any access points that carpenter ants could use to get into your home. Cracks, holes, and gaps should be filled in to avoid letting unwanted pests in. Check your window screens to make sure that they are without holes or tears and are firmly secured into your windows. Weatherizing strips can be purchased to fill the gap beneath exterior doors, a common point of entry for carpenter ants. It is a good idea to store firewood away from the side of your house and to check it thoroughly before bringing it into the home, lest you bring a hitchhiking insect in with you. Additionally, keeping vegetation cut back from the house will eliminate any ladders that carpenter ants can use to get into the home. Lastly, standing water is a major attractant for carpenter ants, since all living things need water. Be sure that there are no leaks or standing water in or around your Peoria home.
How To Keep Carpenter Ants From Coming Back
The only way to completely get rid of carpenter ants and to prevent them from returning is to contact a professional. A professional pest control company, like Quik-Kill Pest Elimination, can make sure that all of the carpenter ants are removed from your Peoria home. We are reliable, efficient, and experienced in dealing with a range of pests. We will work with you every step of the way, from inspection to treatment to follow-up. Give Quik-Kill Pest Elimination a call today and protect your Peoria home.