If you’ve noticed large mounds on your lawn during the spring and summer, you may wonder if they are home to ants, moles, or other pests that often go undetected until they wreak havoc in your living space. Carpenter ants, unlike other types of North American ants, actually do not live in the ground — they live inside wood and can be very destructive to your property. Learn more below about how to identify carpenter ants, why they are so difficult to eradicate from your home by yourself, and when it’s time to call pest control in Toronto to find a more permanent solution to your problem.

What Are Carpenter Ants?

There are more than 1000 species of ants that build their nests inside the wood. If housing numerous tiny pests isn’t troubling enough to a homeowner, the fact that these ants cause destruction to the wood by creating a complex maze of tunnels over their lifetimes certainly is.

What Do Carpenter Ants Look Like?

Carpenter ants may be relatively small at a quarter of an inch or as big as three-quarters of an inch. They are usually a black or rusty brown colour. Like most species of ants, the workers serve the queen their entire lives, and the queen, who is the largest ant, has one specific job: having babies. The more comfortable the ant colony is in your home, the more opportunity you will give them to reproduce!

Do Carpenter Ants Bite?

They do, and their bites can be quite painful. If left alone, carpenter ants do not seek out people to bite. They do not feed on blood like mosquitos and they are not overly aggressive if they do not feel threatened; however, if they think you are about to disturb their nest, they will waste no time in attacking! They may also spray chemicals into the wound they make on your skin, which can be very painful and irritating to the bite mark. Rest assured that if you do not bother them, it is unlikely that they will harm you or even notice your presence.

Do Carpenter Ants Make Nests in Lawns?

Not inside the grass or dirt. The little mounds you see are homes of smaller ants that do not disturb the wooden parts of your home. Carpenter ants may use a tree or rotting log as a smaller colony even if they have nested inside your home, so you can find them outside, but not in the mounds that probably come to mind when you think of ants.

How Can I Find Carpenter Ants’ Nests?

These ants have a preference for wood that is decaying, soft, or moist. This means that already vulnerable areas of your home such as doorframes, attics, chimneys, and the wood in your bathroom may be prime real estate for these little creatures. You may be able to locate a nest by tapping the suspected area and listening for a hollow noise.

What Do I Do if I Find a Nest?

Carpenter ants can and do bite when threatened. Please don’t try to remove a nest or any piece of material that you think is infested, and don’t linger if your tapping has caused the ants to scatter or come out of their home. Call a reputable pest control company for advice and an estimate as soon as possible.

Call Truly Nolen for Carpenter Ant Removal Today

If you’ve found signs of carpenter ants or nests that signify their presence, don’t wait to call for assistance. Carpenter ants can be difficult to get rid of, and the more quickly you act, the faster we will be able to take care of your problem. Schedule your inspection with Truly Nolen today!