We see them all the time skittering over countertops, walls, and across patios and driveways. Just about any place there is available food, water, or areas for tunneling or building nests, you’ll find ants. What type of ant you’re seeing is the question.
There are brown, black, red and yellow ant species ranging in various sizes. The largest ant in the U.S. is the carpenter ant. These ants are a dull black and can grow to be 3/4 inches long.
The carpenter ant is one of the most destructive insects and if you’re seeing signs of them in or around your home or business, you’ll need the professional services of a pest control company.
Carpenter ants are aggressive at tunneling their way into wood, so any part of a building such as wood studs, siding, porches, or railings are susceptible to carpenter ant infiltration.
The excavating of tunnels into the wood is to create areas where the ants build nests. A colony of carpenter ants can be in the thousands. With so many ants in the colony, the result is significant damage to the home, garage, exterior patios and out buildings.
They prefer wood that is soft, such as water-damaged fallen trees, if available, but healthy wood is also on the menu.
If you think you have a carpenter ant infestation, contact us at Allison Pest Control for information or to set up an evaluation.