In most instances, residents in New Jersey and those across the United States do not realize that they have either carpenter ants or termites until they notice significant damage done to the structure of their home of office building. Both of these types of pests are responsible for millions of dollars of damages to structures each year and yet they continue to damage structures in complete secrecy. Despite their propensity to destroy wood, both types of insects destroy wood differently.
For signs of carpenter ants, look for…
• Piles of frass; which is a combination of wood shavings, fecal matter, pupal casings, and insect parts.
• Carpenter ants are clean creatures so these pests constantly discard frass out of the galleries that they carve into the wood.
• Carpenter ants are omnivores; they do not consume any wood. Carpenter ants will come and go from a nesting site.
• Carpenter ants only use their galleries for shelter of their eggs, expansion of their brood, and themselves.
• If you have a pile of frass it is a clear indication of carpenter ants instead of a termite infestation.
• Carpenter ants consume both live and dead bugs, and are especially fond of the sweet secretions of aphids which are often taken into the galleries and protected by carpenter ants. Aphids are also protected on plants that are near a nesting site.
For signs of termites, look for…
• The only source of food for termites is wood and other types of items that contain cellulose.
• Worker termites are blind and white in color.
• Termites never take a break from their wood devouring ways. They work 24 hours a day, 7 days per week!
• You won’t see termites walking around on the sidewalk or in the dirt like you do carpenter ants. Termites would dry up from exposure if creeping around outside. Termites do their traveling in the mud tubes that they create or in underground tunnels.
Don’t let carpenter ants or termites near your NJ home. Call a Monmouth County, NJ exterminator to keep your home safe from invaders.