There are many species of ants that live in our area. Some like to invade homes. Others prefer to live outside. Carpenter ants are a bit unique in that they spend a lot of time outdoors but also regularly invade homes. What do they do when they are inside homes? They chew through structural wood. To help you avoid carpenter ant damage to your Jacksonville home and show you how to get rid of carpenter ants if they invade, here are some things to consider today.
How Can I Tell If It’s Carpenter Ants In My Jacksonville Home?
One good thing about carpenter ants is that they are relatively easy to identify. To start, they are the largest species of ant in our area, growing to be upwards of 5/8” long. Carpenter ants are usually red, black, or a combination of these colors. Another thing that makes these pests easier to identify is the way they damage homes. Here are some signs of carpenter ants that you can use to identify these pests around your living areas.
- Pin sized holes in your structural wood
- A rustling noise coming from inside your walls
- Winged ants crawling out from holes, crevices, and other tight spaces around your home
- Shed wings on window sills and around your home
- Piles of wood shavings around entrance and exit holes throughout your home
Something to keep in mind with carpenter ants is that they are not always easy to identify. Signs of carpenter ants sometimes don’t show up until months after they get indoors and damage has been done. To make sure you spot these pests before they cause trouble, we recommend having your home inspected by a professional.
Are Carpenter Ants In Jacksonville Dangerous?
One thing people ask is: can carpenter ants bite? Although these pests regularly use their strong mouthparts to chew through structural wood, they rarely use them to bite humans. Keeping this in mind, they will bite if they feel threatened or trapped. Another thing these pests do is spray a defensive chemical into the wounds they create. This formic acid increases pain and makes bite areas more irritated. To avoid being bitten by carpenter ants, keep your distance and do your best not to disturb their nests.
How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants In Jacksonville
If you are looking for how to get rid of carpenter ants here in Jacksonville, you should consider looking into professional pest control. To save you some time, let the experts at Trad’s Pest Control lend you a helping hand. We put in great effort to make sure our ant pest control is effective and affordable. By scheduling an appointment with one of our friendly and highly-trained technicians, you will quickly find out where ants are hiding in and around your home and find freedom from them fast.
How To Prevent Reinfestation In Your Jacksonville Home
There are a few different ways to keep carpenter ants away from your Jacksonville home. We recommend starting with moisture elimination. This should involve cleaning and repairing your gutters, fixing leaky pipes and fixtures, eliminating sources of water build-up in and around your home, and using a dehumidifier indoors. In addition to this, seal off holes, gaps, and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation using a caulking gun. If you would like more protection against destructive carpenter ants, let our team help. Trad’s Pest Control offers a range of general pest control services that are effective against ants.
Call today to discuss your options and find a time to have your Jacksonville home treated.