Get Carpenter Ant Control Near You

While carpenter ants are not aggressive and rarely attack, they can and will bite if their nests are disturbed, and they feel they have to defend it. These powerful bites can break the skin, causing red, swollen marks that look like pea-sized blemishes. People with sensitive skin may experience prolonged healing, which causes immediate discomfort and burning. Fortunately, because carpenter ants lack venom and don’t transmit disease, these painful bites pose no significant health threats.

Carpenter ants have specialized food storage chambers called “crops” or “social stomachs.” The crop is a part of their digestive system where they can store liquid food temporarily. This allows them to share food with other ants in the colony through a process called trophallaxis, where they regurgitate the stored liquid to feed nestmates. The crop serves as a communal resource, enabling efficient food distribution within the colony.

YES, reproductive carpenter ants and queens have wings that they shed before nesting. Often mistaken for termites, a single-winged female starts a colony by choosing a mate, finding a nest and shedding her wings. Winged males and females, known as “swarmers,” appear in the spring and summer. Indoor swarmers often emerge from openings like baseboards or vents and likely indicate a nest inside your home. Outdoor swarmers likely indicate a nearby colony outdoors. If you see swarmers in or around your home, it is well worth having a home inspection for other signs of ant activity. Call Fox Pest Control today for a free inspection – let us make sure you feel safe and comfortable in your home.

Most ants look alike at first, but they have distinct differences. Carpenter ants are larger and nocturnal and can damage wood structures. They can be black, dark brown, red and black, or reddish-brown to yellow, and have a distinctive “heart-shaped” head. In contrast, black ants are smaller, active during the day, are skilled at following scent trails, and do not chew wood.

Carpenter ants can cause significant damage to a home, especially if their presence is left unaddressed. They excavate wood to build nests, and over time, this activity can weaken and compromise the structural integrity of wooden components in the house, such as beams, studs, and window or door frames. While they don’t consume the wood for food like termites, the extensive tunneling can lead to costly repairs and structural issues. Homeowners nationwide spend thousands of dollars out-of-pocket because insurance companies don’t cover insect damage. It’s crucial to address carpenter ant infestations promptly to minimize potential damage. Call Fox Pest Control today for a free inspection!

Carpenter ants nest in diverse wood sources, and while they prefer wet or damaged wood, they’ll nest in existing cavities as well. Indoors, they are commonly found in compromised structures like window frames, crawlspaces, chimneys, sinks, and bathtubs. If you’re concerned about Carpenter ants being in your home, call Fox Pest Control today for a free consultation.

One reason carpenter ant infestations are difficult to treat is because a nest in your home is often a satellite nest. The queen stays hidden away in the parent nest, which could be far from your home. If only the satellite nest is treated, the queen will be unaffected and will likely restart a new infestation in your home without detection.

Things like continuing moisture problems, available food sources, and unsealed entry points will keep carpenter ants returning to your home. Call Fox Pest Control today to get rid of carpenter ants and keep them away.

Carpenter ants can be hard to detect in your home because they don’t like coming into the open and are most active at night. Once they enter the house, carpenter ants stay inside the voids in the wall and out of sight. This is how they can remain in homes undetected for 8-10 years. Call Fox Pest Control for a free inspection. We’ll send a licensed and certified technician to your home to take care of carpenter ants today!