Date Posted: July 17, 2020
Category: Ants
No one likes having ants crawling all over their property. They are incredibly annoying as they constantly get into clothes, food, and other items. And they multiply quickly. The worst thing about them is that they can carry illness-causing bacteria.
Some ants are particularly noticeable because of their size and color. Carpenter ants are a great example. These black critters can be very large. This species is not only a threat because of their potential to spread disease, but they can destroy property too. They will eat up your Portland home or business from the inside out! Learn now about how to stop them.
How Do You Get Carpenter Ants?
Wood attracts carpenter ants, especially if it’s decaying or damp. Wet or rotting wood is ideal for their tunneling and nest making. If they are on your property, you may find trees, stumps, logs, and structural lumber filled with them. When they focus on properties, they’ll enter through gaps in vents, utility lines, wires, and foundations. Hanging tree branches over roofs help them get onto houses. If your home has moisture issues or leaks, it will be a carpenter ant’s prime target. As they tatter wood inside out, the foundations of your property will weaken. This can lead to dangerous outcomes.
Carpenter ants are around ¼ to ½ of an inch long. Though they’re usually black, you may see some that are orange, brown, yellow, tan, red, or reddish-black. There are winged swarmers when a colony is mature; you may see them flying by crevices or emerging from wood when you knock on it. These bugs chiefly consume sweets, meats, and other critters. Signs of infestation include:
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Finding piles of ant body parts and wood shavings
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Hearing rustling noises behind walls
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Having hollow walls
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Seeing flying swarmers and/or their discarded wings
What Are Ways to Prevent Carpenter Ants?
Humans use wood for all kinds of things. Most homes, businesses, and furniture are built with it. So it might seem like there is no escaping carpenter ants. But there are several things you can do to keep these pests away and evade their wreckage. Keeping your place in tip-top shape is essential. So is maintaining your landscaping. Check out the following ant-prevention tips:
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Repair cracks and openings around piping, panels, walls, windows, doors, and foundations.
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Add sweeps and weather stripping to exterior doors and windows.
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Fix any leaks; especially if it’s making wood wet.
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Remove or refurbish damaged wood, both inside and outside.
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Food should be in airtight canisters.
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Reduce moisture by using a dehumidifier.
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Wood-piles, gardens, and greenery should be several feet away from your property.
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Call Big Blue Bug Solutions.
How Does Big Blue Bug Solutions Handle Carpenter Ants?
Over our 80+ year history, Big Blue Bug Solutions has won multiple awards. Why? We have insured and licensed technicians who sharpen their expertise at industry seminars. They bring back their honed knowledge to employ advanced techniques in exterminating carpenter ants and other pests. We safely utilize state-of-the-art equipment and products that will keep critters from returning. Above all else, we’re kind and considerate to our customers.
Don’t take a chance with retail insecticides that could be misapplied or widen an infestation. Call the professionals. We promise our treatment plans are affordable and effective. Start with a free inspection from Big Blue Bug Solutions. Call today!
