Carpenter ants differ from other ants in one very important way: While the winter cold can make most ants hide in the ground till spring so they stop causing problems in our homes and businesses, carpenter ants can be a problem all winter long. That makes the carpenter ant a year-round pest. So when we talk about the types of ants that are problematic in the winter, we're usually only talking about one type of ant. That is why Illinois homeowners should always be on the lookout for signs of carpenter ant infestations.
3 Signs You Might Have a Carpenter Ant Infestation
When you walk into your kitchen and see winged ants crawling on the interior of your windows, you might have carpenter ants. It is not likely that those ants came in through an open door or window.
When you go out to tend your landscaping or garden and see a hundred flying ants on the side of your home, you might have a carpenter ant infestation. Don't shrug this off. This is more often a sign of a current and mature infestation rather than a sign of an impending infestation. Carpenter ants swarm together for only about 30 minutes. That doesn't give them much time to travel. So lots of these winged ants on the exterior of your home is a bad sign. If you find one or two flying ants, that's different.
When you go down into your basement and find piles of fine sawdust on your walls, rafters, or floor, you might have a carpenter ant infestation. These ants don't eat wood. They carve shavings and push those shaving though kick-out holes.
When you go out onto your deck and notices that one of the planks is beginning to cave in, you might have a carpenter ant infestation. These ants target old, soft wood, and have a preference for water-damaged wood.
When you go out into your yard and notice big black ants crawling around, you might have carpenter ants. Black carpenter ants, the carpenter ants that are most destructive to man-made structures, are black and about ⅝ of an inch in length, with a single node between the abdomen and thorax. This is the waist of the ant.
If you need help with carpenter ant identification, or treatments for carpenter ants to protect your equity from these wood-damaging pests, reach out to us. We service the Greater Moline areas with industry-leading pest control. We look forward to helping you safeguard your investment from carpenter ant infestation.