Carpenter Ant Populations on the Rise

Rainy Spring Weather is Driving Carpenter Ants Inside Connecticut Homes

Residents and business owners in Glastonbury, Connecticut, have experienced significant rainfall this spring — much like the rest of New England and the majority of the Northeast.

And ants, which are typically thought to be harmless but actually can cause real problems, are thriving thanks to the rain-heavy spring.

This is especially true with carpenter ants and carpenter ant infestations.

Carpenter Ant Identification in the Home

Carpenter ants are larger-sized ants and can range in color, typically dull black, red, or muddy brown.

Unlike most ant species, carpenter ants have a single node and a smooth thorax.

Another identifying characteristic of carpenter ants is the presence of wings. During the carpenter ants’ mating season, swarmers — which are winged carpenter ants responsible for reproduction — surface to mate.

With this in mind, it is not uncommon to see “flying ants” in your house or business.

Carpenter ant swarmers have two sets of wings which are located on the thorax above the pests’ waist. A carpenter ant swarmers’ job is simple — mate to form new colonies.

These colonies can grow to alarming sizes.

“An average carpenter ant nest is between ten thousand and twenty thousand ants,” Catseye Pest Control technician John Crowley told NBC Connecticut in a recent interview.

A carpenter ant nest will typically hold all stages of ants: eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult worker carpenter ants.

There are also satellite colonies which are typically comprised of larvae and mature pupae.

With the staggering number of carpenter ants in each colony, an infestation and severe amount of carpenter ant damage is likely to occur.

Carpenter Ant Damage & Frass

If an infestation is not dealt with, it can lead to extreme carpenter ant damage throughout the home or business.

Carpenter ant damage typically begins when a colony in close proximity of your house or business finds an attractive piece of moist or decaying wood. This species of ant is most likely to go after wood structures or enter through damp or damaged wood near the foundation.

“The standard criteria for nesting carpenter ants is wood that has been effected by moisture,” Catseye Pest Control technician Paul Dube, A.C.E. explained. “Once inside, these ants will excavate smooth galleries and discard the wood shavings out of the nest creating piles of frass, which will also contain body parts of dead carpenter ants.”

Carpenter ants prefer to build their nests in wood that contains moisture, which means the significant amount of rainfall this year has created the ideal scenario for the pest.

The pest will chew tunnels into the wood to build their nests, leaving the wood weakened, hollowed, and vulnerable to collapse.

While damage can be visible at times from the outside, it is more frequently found inside the wood and therefore more difficult to detect.

“If the frass is visible, it’s a sure indication a carpenter ant colony is in the area,” Dube, A.C.E. said. “Sometimes this frass is hidden behind walls, so locating areas of moisture will help lead you to the carpenter ants.”

Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood, but instead discard the wood as they create tunnels and build nests.

Professional Carpenter Ant Treatment & Control

Carpenter ant infestations can be difficult to eradicate on your own as this species of ant is known for building satellite nests in various places.

So even if you were to eliminate one or two carpenter ant nests, it is probably that the pest has created satellite nests in other areas that you have not found.

With this difficulty in mind, Catseye Pest Control has created a carpenter ant treatment and control program.

Our goal is to protect your investment by providing award-winning customer service and a superior level of protection from carpenter ants.

Catseye’s tried and true process for pest and carpenter ant infestations includes:

• Cost-free inspection
• Custom-tailored carpenter ant eradication solution
• Integrated Pest Management elimination methods

If you suspect your home or business is suffering from a carpenter ant infestation or carpenter ant damage, contact our pest management professionals immediately.