There are many ways to figure out whether or not you have carpenter ants attacking your New York home. We're going to take a look at three of the most obvious ways and offer some insight that will help you protect your property from these destructive pests.
Seeing Carpenter Ants
If you know what a carpenter ant looks like, you may see them crawling around outside. These are mostly nocturnal insects, so you'll have the best results if you look at night. Search in moist, shaded areas and in spots where organic debris, such as leaves or sticks, are on the ground. Look for them in spots on your home that are being damaged by water because water damage can lead to carpenter ant problems.
In the spring, you may see large flying ants crawling around on the outside or the inside of your home. This is a sign of a current and mature infestation on your property. It is a good idea to call a pest professional when this is the sign you see. You can also take a look at our article that lists, tips on how to avoid flying ants this summer.
Seeing Sawdust
Carpenter ants don't eat wood, they tunnel into it and push the sawdust out. This sawdust is called frass and you can find it in many locations. The most common location to find frass is in the basement or in the crawlspace under your home (if you have one).
While frass is definitely a helpful and obvious sign of a carpenter ant infestation, these sneaky ants don't always push frass out where you can see it. They may push it into a wall or ceiling void. They may push it out into an attic space. They push it out into a workshop or a location where you keep firewood. There are many hidden places frass can be left.
Seeing Damage
The damage that carpenter ants do is usually on the inside of wood. But, every so often, these ants will damage on the outside, where it is visible. It will usually be a spot that is damp or high in humidity. A few examples of places you might see damage done by carpenter ants are the bottoms of fence posts, wood under the slats of your deck, and frames around windows and doors. Find more potential areas of damage in our guide to carpenter ant damage.
Get Carpenter Ants Under Control
The best way to detect and control carpenter ants is by seeking the assistance of a licensed professional. If you live in NYC metro, including the five boroughs, remember that Parkway Pest Services is an industry-leader in pest control. You can trust our team to protect your equity from these and other wood-destroying pests.