carpenter ant

Carpenter Ant Control and Treatments

Carpenter ants don’t consume wood like termites but excavate it to make their nests, which in large colonies can consist of an extensive network of galleries and tunnels often beginning in an area where there is damage from water or wood decay. From here they can expand the nest into sound wood and compromise structural integrity. They also commonly nest in wall voids, hollow doors, and insulation. Infestations can even occur in new buildings when land clearing in the surrounding area disturbs established colonies, causing them to move into the structure.
They will enter buildings in search of nesting sites or moisture and can build nests containing several thousand ants. Typically, the nests they construct indoors are satellites of a larger, parent nest located outside in a live or dead tree, a woodpile, or landscaping materials. Several satellite nests can be associated with a single parent nest, where the queen or queens reside, as in the case of C. vicinus, which can have as many as 40 queens in a single nest.
Carpenter Ant Control: Carpenter Ant Facts, Get Rid of Carpenter Ants.

Trim tree branches and shrubs away from structures to prevent access.
Seal off potential entry points such as where utility lines enter a structure.
Reduce mulch around building perimeters to a depth of 2 to 3 inches to discourage nesting.
Eliminate any earth-to-wood contact of structural elements that might promote wood decay.
Replace decayed or damaged wood and correct problems that cause decay such as clogged rain gutters or leaky pipes.
Increase ventilation to damp areas such as attic or subfloor spaces.
Store firewood off the ground and several feet away from structures.
Remove potential food sources inside a structure and store them in tightly sealed containers.

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