One of the more common types of ants that like to build their nests in homes is carpenter ants. Although they don’t actually eat wood, they make their nests in wood, which can lead to structural damage in a home if they aren’t found and eliminated.
Change Conditions in the Home
The first step in Carpenter Ant Control is to change the conditions of the home to make them less conducive to ants. These ants like moist conditions, so wiping up any spills, correcting any leaks, and limiting the humidity of the home may help. They prefer moist wood, such as that which has been damaged by water leaks, and common places to find them in the home include the cavity behind a dishwasher or in a porch column. Also, the ants eat sweets and meats, including dead ants, so these shouldn’t be left out in the open. Since the ants originally come from outside, limit any contact of wood from the house to the ground, make sure no trees or plants are touching the house and seal any cracks in the foundation to help prevent infestations of carpenter ants.
Find the Nest
Winged ants are a sign there may be an ant colony in a home, as these ants are looking to form a satellite nest. The best way to get rid of these ants is to find their nests and destroy or remove them. Often, there aren’t any external signs pointing to the exact location of the nests, so it may be hard to locate them. Tapping along wood surfaces with a blunt object and listening for a hollow sound may help. Another potential method is to feed ants a tiny bit of diluted honey and then follow them back to their nest, which could take some time. This works best at night when the ants tend to be more active. Signs of a nearby nest include bits of dead ants mixed with shredded wood.
A pest control company, such as Battleabug.com, may be best for implementing this part of any Carpenter Ant Control strategy as they have lots of experience in finding and destroying ant nests.
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