Carpenter Ants in McAlpin
Carpenter ants get their name because they excavate their nests in wood, creating smooth tunnels and galleries. Carpenter ants will destroy wood as they tunnel through wood to construct their nests. With this habit, they are often mistaken for termites. Their wood-destroying activities can ruin the structural integrity of buildings due to the reduction of solid structures to hollow shells. While they do not eat and digest wood, they are still capable of similar damage as termites. Carpenter ants will feed on a variety of foods, including the sugary honeydew excreted by plant-sucking insects.
Carpenter Ant Habitat
Carpenter ants establish their nests in different locations but are drawn to moisture. These locations are generally near damp, decaying wood and can be inside or outside a structure. When they infest a building, the main nest is often located outside in a tree, stack of firewood, or stump. The nests are more likely found in damped wood from a water leak, such as attic rafters, wall voids, roof overhangs, crawl spaces, behind dishwashers, and hollow doors or columns. Moisture issues in a building are usually the culprit behind indoor carpenter ant infestations.
Carpenter Ant Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers
The carpenter ant is considered a serious threat to homeowners due to their wood burrowing activity. When they damage wood through burrowing habits, they can destroy the structural integrity of businesses and homes. If they are seen swarming in the spring, it is a sure sign of a colony nesting nearby. Another sign of an infestation is hearing faint rustling noises in the walls and tiny piles of sawdust. Carpenter ants are not as dangerous as termites, but can destroy homes and valuable objects of wood if an infestation is left to fester. If a carpenter ant infestation is suspected, it is best to contact a professional ant exterminator.
