Inspecting for Carpenter Ants
Inspecting for Carpenter Ants
[ Carpenter Ant Identification | Inspecting For Carpenter Ants | Treating For Carpenter Ants | Preventing Carpenter Ants ]What Do I Find Carpenter Ants?
Carpenter Ants are known to cause considerable damage in homes and structures. They also will infest damaged trees. Finding the areas where Carpenter Ants are nesting can help you eliminate the colony rather quickly.
Here are some guidelines for inspecting:
- Inspecting is best at night time when Carpenter Ants are active.
- If you find a single colony, keep looking as there maybe more than one colony.
- The best areas for inspection would include any wooden areas where there would most likely be a high moisture content, this would be window frames as well as door frames, tubs, kitchen and bathroom plumbing walls.
- Using a flashlight will help a lot in locating trails and signs of Carpenter Ant damage.
Inspecting For Carpenter Ants Indoors
Carpenter Ants will infest wood that has come into contact with excess moisture from a leak or pipes. When you are inspecting for Carpenter Ant infestations, look for the below indicators to determine if you have an infestation.
- Debris - When Carpenter Ants Bore their nests, they leave behind many piles of fibrous, finely shredded material which is called frass. Frass is the term for the wood particles that Carpenter Ants will leave around their nests. It looks a lot like finely ground sawdust. Carpenter Ants will leave these deposits in small mounds at the entrances to their nests.
- Wood Damage- Damage to wood would like smooth galleries and small slit-like openings in wood as a sign of nesting ants. These slits acts as a disposal area for frass and other material. Wood damage doesn't always look like tunnels and galleries. It might look like dashes and dots along the wood. It can also look a lot like wood rot.
- Ant Trails - Carpenter Ants will form tight, close trails that can be traced back to the nesting area. You can look for ant trails along carpeted edges, door frames, window frames, fences, etc.
- Sounds - Sometimes you can pinpoint a possible nest site by tapping against a wall with a screwdriver with your ear against wall to listen. Carpenter Ants that get agitated will make a slight clicking or rustling sound.
- Wall Voids
- Attics
- Flooring / Sub flooring
- Ceilings
- Windows
- Skylights
- Doors (hollow)
- Dishwashers
- Plumbing, pipes
Inspecting For Carpenter Ants Outside
Carpenter Ants are resourceful insects and will make a nest just about anywhere they can depending on the species. You will be looking for the same frass, damage, trails and sound as you would if you were doing an indoor inspection.
Here are some various areas that the Carpenter Ants can nest:
- Trees
- Tree stumps
- Firewood
- Woodpiles
- Fences
- Yard debris
- Dead trees
- Window frames
- Door Frames
- Garbage cans