Most ants can be a nuisance, particularly when they are unwanted guests inside a home intended for human habitation. Carpenter Ants in Middletown NJ, however, go above and beyond the call of most insect pests. They can actually do serious damage to a home if left unchecked. Carpenter ants are named for their ability to carve smooth tunnels through untreated wood in order to build their nests. In creating their homes, though, they can cause serious structural damage. Homeowners should keep an eye out for the signs of carpenter ants noted below, and should not hesitate to call an exterminator immediately if they are concerned that they might have an infestation.
Piles of Sawdust
As noted, carpenter ants literally tunnel through wood. As they do so they kick up a good deal of sawdust, which eventually finds its way out of their tunnels and creates piles on the floor near affected areas. Keep an eye out for sawdust piles in likely areas inside of the home and call an exterminator immediately as soon as they appear. Carpenter ants most frequently target dark areas that are not frequented by human inhabitants, such as crawl spaces, closets, and corners.
Faint Rustling Sounds
If there are enough ants in the walls, they may begin to cause enough of a ruckus to attract human attention. The sound is described most often as resembling the rustling of cellophane. It occurs as the ant colony chews through the wood, and will become louder and more noticeable the worse the infestation gets. Again, it’s best to call an exterminator for an evaluation before the infestation is allowed to progress any further.
Visible Wood Damage
Homeowners that are uncertain about less obvious signs of ant habitation may want to look for damaged wood. Carpenter Ants in Middletown NJ create extensive networks of tunnels. The entrances to these tunnels will be visible to the naked eye, although they can easily go unnoticed if to those who do not know what to look for.
Not sure whether an existing or previous ant problem has caused visible signs of wood damage in a home? Call and schedule an evaluation with Freehold Pest Control today to get a professional opinion.
