Spring is right around the corner
Carpenter Ant
Who knows what the first insect pest of the season will be? I suppose the image gives it away … it’s the carpenter ant. I say “insect pest” because you will see in our next blog what the first “animal” pest is. What to do about carpenter ants? Truly, if you are facing an infestation problem, the sooner you get a qualified exterminator into your home to eradicate these little menaces, the better. The damage these creatures cause can be catastrophic. Why? They nest in wood – and gravitate to moist environments. They don’t eat the wood … they hollow out the wood to create a living space for the colony. As a matter of fact, the tell tale saw dust like material they leave behind is often seen before the ants are! What areas of a home are most susceptible? Actually, any place where water has been able to infiltrate wood. That can be in the roof, attic, walls, in the basement … again, anywhere water has infiltrated wood.
When do you know you have a problem? There are basically two ways to know … if you haven’t seen the ants yet, but see little piles of a saw dust like material near any damp areas … you may have a problem. If you see them … then that is an obvious indicator. No one is immune – especially after the winter we have had. With as much snow as we have had there will be uncountable opportunities for these pests to find damp wood where there hasn’t been any for years … so keep your eyes open and feel free to give us a shout should you see any of the tell tale signs.