You may have heard of carpenter ants in passing, and it's possible that you've never heard of these ants at all. Typically, when it comes to wood-destroying pests in The Bay Area, a more significant emphasis is put on termites since they cause such extensive and costly damage. While termites definitely are a significant threat to your home that you should never ignore, there is another lesser-known wood-destroying insect to be on the lookout for that can be just as destructive: carpenter ants.

Since the need for termite protection seems to get more attention, you may be left wondering, "Do I need ant control in The Bay Area for carpenter ants too?" The answer is yes! Here is everything you need to know about carpenter ants, including where you'll find carpenter ants, the signs of carpenter ant activity, and why professional carpenter ant control is so important.

Carpenter Ant Nests: Where Are They?

Carpenter ants are wood excavators, meaning they dig out tunnels in wood to create their nests—the galleries that carpenter ants create in wood are smooth and clean of debris. Unlike termites, these wood-destroying ants do not actually consume the wood as they chew through it. This destructive tunneling behavior is what makes these pests such a threat to homes and structures.

These ants typically nest in dead wood and have a preference for moist or water-damaged wood, dry-rotting wood, or wood that other pests have previously damaged. Outdoors, you may find them nesting in areas like old stumps and fallen or dead trees, woodpiles, wooden decks, in between wood shingles, siding, or fascia boards, or along fences. Inside, you may see these ants around your wooden beams or joints, in the cracks between structural timbers, or in the wood itself.

Can You See Carpenter Ants In Your Wall?

If you have a carpenter nest in your wall void or wooden beam, you may notice carpenter ants coming in and out of the openings of their nests. Spotting even one of these ants in your Bay Area home could mean you have a full-blown infestation.

To help you tell whether or not the ants you're seeing are carpenter ants, here is a brief description of these ants—carpenter ants are large ants (measuring anywhere from 1/2" to 5/8" in length) and can be black, red, or a combination of black and red.

If you don't see carpenter ants themselves, you may spot some of the other signs of carpenter ants in your house:

Carpenter ant damage such as small openings in the surface of the wood.
Piles of expelled sawdust-like debris exit holes.
Swarms of winged carpenter ants during the spring.

If you see any of these signs, contact Bay Pest Solutions.

The Do's And Don'ts Of Carpenter Ant Control

To help you get rid of your carpenter ant problem quickly and effectively, we've divided our recommendations into two distinct portions: the do's and the don'ts.

The Do's

Do: Be on the lookout for carpenter ant activity around your property, such as shed wings, large dark-colored ants, damaged wood, carpenter ant swarms, and shed wings.
Do: Remove and replace any rotting wood on your property to avoid attracting carpenter ants.
Do: Keep an eye out for moisture issues that may develop in or around your home.
Do: Move woodpiles away from the exterior of your home or garage.
Do: Call Bay Pest to get started with a professional carpenter ant control service to avoid carpenter ant damage and get rid of carpenter ants in The Bay Area.

The Don'ts

Don't: Ignore the signs of carpenter ant activity. These destructive ants won't go away on their own, and the longer they are around, the more damage they will cause.
Don't: Try to treat carpenter ants on your own. DIY solutions can be unreliable and could actually make matters worse.

The only true way to get rid of carpenter ants is with the help of the professional service technicians at Bay Pest Solutions.

Professional Carpenter Ant Extermination In The Bay Area

Don't wait until it's too late when it comes to carpenter ants. If left untreated, carpenter ants can cause extensive damage to your home or structure that may be quite costly to repair, and no homeowner wants to deal with that. The good news is, you don't have to!

If you suspect that you may have a carpenter ant infestation or want to take precautions to avoid carpenter ant damage, we can help! Contact Bay Pest Solutions today to get started with carpenter ant pest control services in The Bay Area. Ask for your free estimate today!