Why Carpenter Ants Infest Lake Orion Properties
4/15/2021
Not all ants are harmless to your Lake Orion property. Some, like carpenter ants, can cause a whole lot of destruction in a relatively short amount of time. That’s why it’s important to identify the ways that ant infestations start and grow on a property, so you can take steps to prevent the far bigger structural problems that wood-boring pests cause.
Carpenter Ants: What Are They?
Unlike other common ant species in Michigan, which mostly contaminate food and just look nasty, carpenter ants are dual threats. They are attracted by the food and shelter within our properties -- unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood -- and can contaminate food sources like all other bugs. But they also bore into common household items or plants that contain wood. They do this to form their breeding tunnels. While they are less ravenous than termites, this damage can lead to large structural issues around a property. Wood damage can also lead to annoying and costly cosmetic issues, like warped baseboards and floorboards or bulging wall panels. That’s why you should wait until wood damage is obvious before you worry about wood-boring pests. Instead, you need to clamp down on the factors that attract carpenter ants early.
What Attracts Carpenter Ants?
The first stepin preventing a pest problem in Lake Orion is knowing what causes it. With tiny ants, there are a number of areas around a home or business that they can squeeze through to get inside. For pests that can chew directly through wooden walls, even where there aren’t easy access points, keeping them out is even more impossible. That’s why at-home pest control methods should focus more on ways to reduce the factors that attract ant populations in the first place. Here are some ways to do that:
- Food Storage: Again, carpenter ants don’t eat wood, they just chew through it. Instead, they forage for crumbs and spills like all other ants. Proper food storage is a crucial prevention measure.
- Trash Storage: The same goes for garbage cans, which are epicenters of pest activity because of the easy food source they provide access to.
- Landscaping: Like all wood-boring insects, carpenter ants are most likely to target outdoor plants and waterlogged woods. They are mostly attracted to human structures because of those other attractants we mentioned, which is why it’s important to keep plants, mulch, and soil away from your exterior wherever possible.
The Damage They Can Cause
Unfortunately, most people don’t realize they have a damaging insect problem until the outward signs are obvious. Even then, it’s not too late to prevent further destruction. Call the experts right away if you notice any of the following signs of wood damage:
- Holes: Unlike termites, which almost exclusively attack woods from underground, carpenter ants don’t hide their holes the same way. If you see surface holes, it’s most likely a sign of carpenter ants.
- Frass: Around those holes, even in areas where there is no apparent damage, you may notice fine sawdust. This is called frass and is often found in piles or lines near infested areas.
- Warped Wood: As pests damage wooden items, the surfaces of the wood are altered because of the change in tension. That leads to buckling or bulging woods, which are a sure sign that pest damage is already prevalent.
Don’t Wait, Call The Experts
All of these pieces of information are evidence of why you shouldn’t try to keep wood-boring insects in check all on your own. Only the experts can spot the signs of a pest population before they’ve done irreparable harm to your property. At Wells Pest Control, we know how to identify the factors that attract carpenter ants, too, which is why it’s never a bad idea to call up your local professionals for more advice or assistance. Even if you aren’t sure you’ve got a pest problem, we can schedule an inspection of your property to help you make sure they aren’t forming without your knowledge. Don’t wait for carpenter ants to damage your property before you worry about them, contact Wells Pest Control today for a home pest control plan.
Tags: carpenter ant information | carpenter ant attractants | carpenter ant prevention |
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