Business and homeowners in New Jersey have reason to worry when they see large black ants on the interior or exterior of their structure. Large ants in most instances are carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are the most common type of ant that you will find in the United States, and left untreated, they are a very destructive pest.
Unlike the destructive termite, carpenter ants do not “eat” wood. Carpenter ants will however damage wood by hollowing it out while they excavate galleries for their nests, and tunnels for transportation. These galleries have a smooth, sandpapered look to them. In some instances, you will find piles of saw-dust like material (pieces of discarded shredded wood) nearby, but sometimes, it is hidden behind a wall void.
Carpenter ants are in constant need of water. On the exterior, carpenter ants can be found in both dry and moist wood sources. You can find them in wood piles, tree stumps and damaged trees. On the interior, carpenter ants are often found around sinks and bathtubs, in baseboards, in cabinets, poorly sealed windows or door frames, wall voids, or any place where water could have, or is leaking.
Carpenter ants are not a “do it yourself” type of pest to eradicate. Using home improvement store chemicals to spray your yard and pavement will kill some of the ants topically; but unfortunately, many ants will disperse and spread even further throughout the yard or structure. When treating for carpenter ants, the entire colony, plus any satellite colonies, must be destroyed in order to achieve success.
Left untreated, it is not uncommon to find a carpenter ant nest with a queen and over 2000 workers. Allison Pest Control operators can safely and efficiently locate the carpenter ant parent and satellite nests so that proper extermination can occur for the entire colony.