Carpenter Ants

WHAT ARE CARPENTER ANTS

Carpenter ants are much larger than the ants you may have seen roaming your neighborhood. They typically like damp, decaying wood where they have a tendency to burrow themselves. These ants are considered scavengers and predators, but contrary to other forms of ants, they like hunting in solitude.

WHAT DO THEY EAT

They like to feast on other dead insects or parts of dead insects. When they find one, they suck out all the inner fluids, leave the empty shells and bring the fluids back to the colony. Just like human beings, they prefer proteins and carbohydrates. They tend to forage at night, and one carpenter ant's foraging area may intersect with that of another colony but rarely do carpenter ants ever help each other in the foraging and hunting process.

That being said; however, these types of ants will send out chemical pheromone signals to other ants in their colony so that a foraging trail is established. Other carpenter ants then follow these trails and forage until there is no more food along the trail. Carpenter ants also like to extract and consume honeydew from aphids.

CARPENTER ANTS AND YOUR HOME

Carpenter ants are less likely to invade your home looking for sugar. They are more likely to enter your house because of any moisture content that you may have, which can come from a variety of sources, but often the source of the problem is leaky water pipes and/or cracks in any part of your home. So keep your home as moisture-free as possible, seal any leaky pipes, and use caulking to seal any cracks.

Also, beware of branches that may overhang the roof of your house or get close to your house in general. Carpenter ants can burrow themselves in the wood of the trees and then find a way into your home. And, while these critters tend to prefer eating dead insects, they are sometimes attracted to sweats and also meat, so keep your food stored properly.

SHOULD I USE DIY METHODS?

If you have an infestation or carpenter ants, you should really call a pest exterminator as many DIY methods are done incorrectly, leaving you angry and frustrated when you can't get rid of them. The best way to stop an infestation, though, is to follow the tips above so that they don't get into your home in the first place.

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Learn if ants are a sign of a dirty home here