Potentially the largest species of pest ant to be encountered by homeowners and pest management professionals, the carpenter ants we encounter in northern Georgia are black carpenter ants.
Dull black with fine, yellowish hairs covering their abdomen, black carpenter ants are problematic in and around your home for several reasons. Considered mild wood-destroying organisms, black carpenter ants chew out damp or rotten wood to make nest sites. They do not consume wood as a termite, but rather excavate it with their serrated mandibles to create random galleries throughout the wood where they nest. Their abundance and size also make the black carpenter ant a most unwelcome house guest due to their foraging tendencies.
Active from late spring (May/June) through early fall (September/October), carpenter ants are most active at night. About 15 minutes past sundown each evening, the ants leave their colony in droves to forage for food. They travel up to hundreds of feet between nest sites and on semi-established paths that the ants themselves construct and maintain. They will use these paths night after night when emerging from their nests, making the evening the best time to locate them.
Once you have an infestation in your home, locating the nest is key to eliminating the problem. Locating the carpenter ants’ nest outdoors is significantly easier at night since you can see them traveling to and from foraging. To locate a nest indoors, follow the ants you see foraging to learn where they may be nesting. For most carpenter ant infestations, insecticidal bait, over removal, is the preferred and more effective method of eradication.
There are some things homeowners can do to prevent issues with carpenter ants. The first thing you should do is eliminate any excess moisture to make your home less desirable nesting site to ants and other pests. Be sure to replace water damaged wood. Also, trim tree limbs away from the structure as the foraging carpenter ants can use them as a bridge to climb onto the roof and siding of your home.
If you experience a persistent infestation of carpenter ants, you should reach out to your pest management professional to assist you in eradicating the problem.
If you think you have a problem with black carpenter ants . . . or any pest. . . or simply have a question. . . call Faith Pest Control at 770-823-9202. We’ll be happy to speak with you any time.
Here’s to helping YOU live PEST FREE,
Erica
P.S. And be sure to ask about our FREE 58 Point Pest Analysis of your home or office!
