Carpenter ants are tiny, but their size provides little consolation when you’re facing an infestation.

Of all the ant species that commonly infest Kittitas County homes and properties, carpenter ants are known to cause the most destruction. However, because the damage that carpenter ants cause usually isn’t apparent, the extent of their damage can be significant before homeowners catch wind of their presence.

Read on for more about carpenter ants and the destruction they cause. We will learn the signs of carpenter ant activity, how they get into homes and buildings and discuss prevention tips.

What Do Carpenter Ants Look Like?

Carpenter ants may be red, brown, or black in color and typically measure between six and 13 millimeters in length. These are the largest ant species in North America and can be characterized by their large jaws, which allow them to feed on other insects, chew on wood, and drink from plants. Though carpenter ants aren’t poisonous, they are known to bite and produce an acid that can irritate eyes and skin.

What Kind Of Destruction Do Carpenter Ants Cause?

Carpenter ants are notorious for chewing on wood; however, they don’t feed on the wood; they only use it to build their colonies. These ants tend to inhabit weak wood, though they can also inhabit healthy wood as well. Over time, their colony-building activity will deteriorate the internal infrastructure of the wood, causing structural damage. Although carpenter ants take years to cause a significant amount of damage to a home, they can, in time, cause a home to hollow from the inside out.

What Are Signs Of Carpenter Ant Activity?

Carpenter ants are most active at night, so you may not notice the ants themselves as much as indications of their presence. Here are a few signs of carpenter ant activity:

Piles of wood shavings, similar in texture to sawdust, will be found beneath wooden items that have been infested and underneath wooden areas such as windowsills, door jambs, and baseboards.
You may hear faint rustling sounds coming from inside of walls, carpentry, or wooden furniture.
The presence of large, winged ants emerging from walls, ceilings, and other cracks and crevices may be noticed.
Shed wings of carpenter ants close by to vents, windowsills, and baseboards may be found.

How Do Carpenter Ants Get Into Homes And Buildings?

Carpenter ants gain access to homes and buildings through wet or damaged wood. Because swarmer carpenters are winged, they’re also able to gain access through open windows and doors. These ants are attracted to moisture, so they attack structures with these issues, such as leaky pipes or clogged drainage.

Tips On Preventing Carpenter Ants From Invading Your Kittitas County Property

The following five tips can help to dissuade carpenter ants from infesting your property:

Fix plumbing issues, such as leaks. If necessary, consider adjusting the grading around your home to remove areas of standing water.
Keep your yard clear of debris, including trimming shrubbery and trees, and leave space between vegetation and the home. Also, store firewood away from the house.
Repair cracks in the foundation and exterior-facing walls, where carpenter ants may be entering with caulk.
Install door sweeps, as well as make repairs to damaged window and door screens.
Regularly clean surfaces and floors to remove fallen food and other debris that attract carpenter ants and other pests.

Say Goodbye To Carpenter Ants With Prosite

The fastest and most effective way to get rid of carpenter ants in Kittitas County is with help from professionals. Prosite provides services to eradicate the area’s most common pests and has specialized treatments tailored to our clients’ needs.