Carpenter ant infestations can get pretty bad. These insects are responsible for hundreds of millions of damages in US homes each year, so they are no joke. However, there are certain things that you can do which will actually make things worse. Here are some of the common mistakes to avoid during carpenter ant infestations:
Misidentifying the species
Carpenter ants are often misidentified by homeowners, which is a problem, because actually seeing the ants crawling around the home is one of the main signs that you have an infestation. Luckily, carpenter ants are very easy to identify, because they are noticeably larger than other species, usually reaching lengths of a ¼ to ½ inches. So as soon as you notice ants that are quite large, you should call a pest control professional for an inspection.
Ignoring the presence of carpenter ants in the home
The presence of carpenter ants foraging indoors does not necessarily mean that there is an infestation, and some homeowners will wait to see if the ants return before assuming that an infestation is present. This is wrong, because carpenter ants may infest a home and never forage indoors, or they may venture inside once because a food source is available and then never return. As such, it’s best that if you ever notice them, you call someone to perform an inspection. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Using DIY methods against carpenter ant infestations
While there are DIY products that can be used against carpenter ants, they may backfire, because if an infestation is not removed completely, the ants will rebuild the colony and continue damaging the home.
Your best bet is to hire a professional for the job, who will ensure that the carpenter ant colony is destroyed completely before concluding the control process. Some of the methods used during this process will include baiting and direct insecticide applications on the infested wood. Each of these methods, when applied correctly, can ensure that an entire colony is destroyed, with baits being slower to work, but offering the advantage of reaching hidden colonies, and direct insecticide applications being faster, but requiring access to the infested wood.
If you would like to know more about the various control methods used against carpenter ants and their costs, or if you have a carpenter ant infestation that needs to be removed, contact us today.