(Formicidae)
Carpenter ants can cause severe damage to your structure by nesting and tunneling in the wooded areas of your home.
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Carpenter Ants will nest into wet and damp wooded areas, which is most of Alaska. This is bad because they are known to nest in wood beams and structures of homes, which can cause severe structural damage. Our team is equipped with pest control techniques backed by science, over 20 years’ experience, and state of the art tools and products. Alaska Pest Management is ready to help you remove your current ant problem as well as provide protection from future issues that may arise.
Carpenter ants get their name from building nests and tunneling inside of wood. They do not eat the wood, but chew through it to create their nests and pathways. They are normally red, black, or a little of both. Carpenter ants are different sizes varying between 1/2” to 5/8” long.
Yes, carpenter ants have a powerful bite that can cause pain. They also inject acid into the wood which creates a burning sensation. Even though it is temporarily painful, it has not been proven to pose a significant health threat.
Ants need a water source to survive. Look in places that would be wet, moist, or rotten. Immediately eradicate any wet or rotten wood as this will be an immediate target for your current or possible ant infestation.
A carpenter ant can take up to 3 months to reach adulthood. Queens can live up to 10 years and female workers can live up to 7 years. Males will die soon after mating. Carpenter ants will sprout wings and start swarming mid-summer.
Call our team first before you disturb the area. We want to be able to treat the ant population where you originally found them so they take it back to their nest. If you tear out the problem area before we arrive, it will cause those ants to scatter to new locations.
After one of our technicians has treated the area; it is highly recommended to do the following:
Eliminate all sources of standing water.
Cut back tree branches and bushes away from your structure.
Seal all openings with Silicone-based caulk.
Move all building supplies or firewood away from the house and raised off the dirt.
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