Carpenter ants develop parent colonies and then branch out and develop satellite colonies. The best way to stop the spread is to detect the ants before they can spread and make multiple nests.
There are several signs that you can look for to locate the nest site. These include wood shavings, swarms of ants, dead ants, signs of a colony entrance, and more. Dealing with ant nests can be dangerous, so if you aren’t sure what to do, get in touch with a carpenter ant control expert.
In this article, you will find everything you need to know to successfully locate carpenter ant nests on your property.
Spotting Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are a species that get their name from their love for wood. They don’t eat wood, but they tunnel through tree stumps, decaying wood, wooden wall voids, and other forms of wood to create their nests and start their colony.
These ants are usually black or dark brown, while some varieties of carpenter ants can have both black and brown bodies. Sometimes, they are dark red or nearly maroon, which is why people confuse them for fire ants.
They are one of the larger ant species and are usually 1/2 an inch long; queens can be a full inch in length. The queens and the males in this species are winged ants, while the majority (the worker ants) will not have wings.
Carpenter Ants in the US
These ants can be found in nearly all states in the US. However, carpenter ants are more common in the eastern and northern states.
Washington, D.C., and Maryland have the highest populations of carpenter ants. They have also been found in the southeastern region of Canada.
Signs of a Carpenter Ant Infestation
Carpenter ant nests are usually found outdoors, and they prefer to build nests inside things like dead trees, tree trunks, and other hollow wood they can tunnel through.
They have extremely strong mandibles, which they use to eat through wood and make their nests. In some cases, you will find carpenter ants indoors in places like bathrooms and under kitchen sinks.
This is because they also like to have a high humidity level. The excess moisture, in wet wood or rotting wood, for example, helps them to keep their eggs healthy.
If you have a carpenter ant nest indoors, you must be very careful because a single nest can contain 10-50 thousand ants.
Some of the most common signs of a carpenter ant infestation include:
- Wood Shavings
Carpenter ants are known for eating through wooden structures to create their nests. Look out for sawdust-looking shavings on wood on your window sill, behind a door, under a countertop, or near any other wooden surface. See Carpenter Ant Frass: What Does It Look Like?
Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat the wood that they shred up, which is why termites don’t leave prominent shavings. - Swarming
If you find a swarm of ants near a window frame, under a door, or near a gap in the piping leading into the house, that is most likely a densely packed pile of carpenter ants. These ants will find a way into the property and clump up at the entrance as they slowly make their way in. - Dead Ants
Ant colonies have a lot of casualties, and you will often find dead carpenter ants at the entrance that they use to get into your property or along the trail they are using to commute.
Have a look at the dead ants to identify whether they are carpenter ants or not. If you find a carpenter ant on its own, you can be sure that there are lots more lurking nearby. - Sounds
Carpenter ants will fill up a wooden table, door, or wall to the extent that you can hear sounds of their movement coming from inside. Ideally, you want to detect the carpenter ant colony before it becomes so populated that it is audible.
Finding Carpenter Ant Nests
There are two types of nests that carpenter ants can build. They will either develop a parent colony or make smaller satellite nests.
The carpenter ant parent colonies are where the queen resides. It will have a larger population and be home to mature larvae. Satellite nests can be located indoors, where larger worker ants will live.
To find the carpenter ants’ nest, whether a parent colony or a satellite colony, you should:
- Look for signs – the easiest sign to look for is frass (sawdust) near anything made of wood.
- Track ants – try to follow them wherever you see them. Usually, carpenter ants will have one parent nest outside and smaller satellite colonies inside the property. By tracking, you can uncover all the nests on your property.
- Check outside – If you find carpenter ants in your home, they are likely there to gather resources, and there is most likely a parent colony outside in the garden, near the pool, or anywhere outside. You need to find the main colony outside to get rid of the ants.
- Check wood – if you find one carpenter ant, then no wooden item in your home is safe. Check all your wooden beds, shelves, cupboards, decorations, and anything else made of wood.
- Find moisture – Carpenter ants will look for areas with high moisture where they can lay their eggs. Under the sink, behind the dishwasher, near a pool, or near a wet area on the lawn are all locations where they will make their nests.
See our guide What Attracts Carpenter Ants?
Conclusion
Whether it is a single, small nest, or multiple large nests, you should call in a professional to help treat carpenter ants. An expert will also be able to help you make modifications to prevent carpenter ants from infesting in the future.
Finding carpenter ant colonies is not very difficult, but the key is detecting them early to prevent major damage. These ants can eat through entire walls, roofs, and other large wooden structures if left untreated.
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