Carpenter Ants In New Construction

Carpenter ants do not eat wood they only tunnel and chew through wood to create nests.

Carpenter ants in new construction. Given the number of infested urban trees the safe assumption is that there are carpenter ants on the lot and precautionary measures should be taken. If you find that you have carpenter ants or termite activity we recommend treating your home immediately. You can visually see them in or near your home. Sugars meats and starches all will attract ants and.

Why black ants come into new houses. In the autumn you can check areas round your home for wood damage. We just finished a brand new house this spring. Because ants generally infest a structure from an outdoor nest a perimeter treatment the application of a granular or liquid insecticide to an area about 2 to 4 feet wide all around the perimeter of the home with a product labeled for control of carpenter ants can provide some control.

In the spring carpenter ants are active as they are seeking new nest areas. Signs of carpenter ants infestation carpenter ants have the capability of causing damage to any wood within which they build their nest. Leaky plumbing damp basements and full gutters all grant ants. The western black carpenter ant colony when mature contains about 10 20 000 workers with large colonies of more than.

A long term infestation with multiple colonies in a home often means serious structural damage and unsightly cosmetic damage. Termites and carpenter ants cause similar damage to damp dead wood. Carpenter ants cause damages to wood primarily due to nest construction. As a general rule carpenter ants do not damage wood as heavily as subterranean termites but given enough time and a large enough nest damages can be severe.

Carpenter ants get their name from their nest building where they will excavate the wood and form smooth tunnels inside of the wood. Ants are hungry little critters and they like many of the same foods that humans eat. Oftentimes you ll see piles of wood shavings near wood that s infested with either termites or carpenter ants. My husband discovered a train of carpenter ants marching into the house and we immediatly followed them to see where they were going in only to discover that the subcontractors that my gc hired for the plumbing and electric did not seal holes that had been drilled in the house about 1 inch diameter for the sump outlet and the lp gas line.

But in order to eradicate the infestation you have to make sure you re treating your property for the correct pest. Water is as necessary to ants as food. New homes are frequently invaded and damaged by satellite colonies even before construction is complete and large colonies can invade a house in a short period of time. In other words damages are only a result of their nest building efforts.