To the untrained eye most ants look pretty much alike. Black to brown, tiny and fast moving, it takes an experienced eye and expert knowledge of ant habitat and behavior to tell one New Jersey ant species from another. However, there is one ant you should learn to identify to protect your property — the wood-destroying carpenter ant.
Carpenter Ant Damage
Carpenter ants live inside wood. These destructive ants tunnel into wood, carving large galleries out of the wood to house their colonies and nurseries. In time, carpenter ants can kill landscape trees and hollow out wood beams and trim, weakening the structural integrity of homes, buildings and wood structures.
Carpenter Ant ID
Learning to identify carpenter ants can warn you of their presence so you can call an experienced Monmouth County, New Jersey carpenter ant exterminator before these insects cause extensive damage to your property. Use these tips to identify carpenter ants:
- Carpenter ants are the largest ant species in the U.S., ranging in size from 1/4 to 3/4 inch long.
- Carpenter ants have dull black bodies.
- Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood. Like other ants, they feed on other insects, aphid honeydew and human food and may be spotted foraging in kitchens.
- Frass, a sawdust-like byproduct of their tunneling, may be seen below tunnel entrances.
- When colonies expand, large groups of winged reproductives, called alates, may be seen milling around in lawns or gardens before they fly off to start new colonies. You may also spot shed wings on windowsills.
If you think you have carpenter ants, don’t wait. Call the professional Monmouth County carpenter ant exterminators at Allison Pest Control today.