Are you familiar with carpenter ants? Do you know that they can be entirely black or a mixture of dark red and black? Are you aware that they are the largest ants you'll find crawling around inside your home? Do you know that a carpenter ant has one node between its thorax and abdomen? These are all important facts to know. Identifying carpenter ants could protect your home from extensive damage. These ants chew tunnels in wood. If they choose to chew their way into the wood of your home, and you're not aware of it, you could find yourself paying out a lot of money for frustrating repair work.
The Truth About Carpenter Ants In Dallas
We're often asked, "Is my home at risk for carpenter ants?" There isn't actually an easy answer to this question. Some pest control professionals will say that every home is at risk. But many factors can increase this risk, such as:
- A large presence of carpenter ants in your yard
- The presence of stumps, logs, or trees with heart rot
- Leaves near your home and underneath decks and stairs
- Dampness near your home
- Rotting wood on your home
- Available entry points in the exterior of your home
- Structures made of untreated and unpainted wood
- Lots of vegetation, and the presence of aphids, whiteflies, or scale insects
- Lack of routine pest control the exterior of your home
What Normally Happens With Carpenter Ants
Troubles associated with carpenter ants usually grow over time. You may see a few ants crawling around on exterior structures, such as your deck, fence, or shed. You may also see them climbing on trees or plants in your landscaping. Next, you may see one or two ants inside your home every once in a while. Eventually, winged ants will start showing up on your exterior, or on interior windows. You might notice a sawdust-like material in your basement or cellar. Holes may appear in door or window frames, near the bottom where rainwater can moisten the wood. You may see damage to exterior structures that are made of wood, especially in spots where water has softened or created conditions for wood rot.
None of this activity may cause you to raise an eyebrow or realize that your home is being damaged. The response from homeowners is often to spray the ants or lay down bait. When flying ants appear, a vacuum is an easy solution. These measures may kill a few ants, but they don't eradicate the colony or arrest the damage the other members of their colony are inflicting on your home.
Effective Carpenter Ant Control In Dallas With Texas Star Pest & Termite
Have you been seeing any of the above warning signs? Have you tried treating them with spray, baits, or a vacuum cleaner? Are you ready to get rid of carpenter ants once and for all? The best solution is to contact a licensed and educated pest management professional. A pest professional uses field-tested strategies for inspecting, treating, and monitoring carpenter ants.
When you have someone who knows what they're doing inspect your home for carpenter ant activity and conditions that are conducive to carpenter ants, apply appropriate treatments that target these ants, and monitor to make sure all the ants have been eliminated, you won't be left wondering whether or not your home is slowly being damaged over time. You're also not going to be dealing with flying ants in your home, worker ants contaminating your pantry or kitchen foods, and holes developing in your door frames and other spots on your home.
If you live in the Greater Dallas area, reach out to Texas Star Pest & Termite. Our service team is one of the best in the business. We can help you get rid of those ants and protect your property. Reach out to us today for our home pest control or commercial pest management solutions.