Carpenter Ant Control in Southwest Michigan, Indiana and the Greater Louisville Region
How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
If you suspect carpenter ants are active around your home, the first step is scheduling a professional inspection. Effective carpenter ant control focuses on locating and eliminating the primary colony, which is often found outdoors in trees, stumps, or other damp wood. In addition to the main colony, carpenter ants commonly establish smaller satellite nests inside or around a structure. Since these secondary nests can be difficult to locate all at once, ongoing monitoring and treatment are often the most reliable way to keep carpenter ant activity under control.
You can also reduce the likelihood of carpenter ants by making your property less inviting. Store firewood well away from your home’s foundation, remove old stumps and decaying lumber, and prune dead or damaged tree branches. Keep mulch and landscaping from staying excessively wet, and repair plumbing or roof leaks that create moisture problems. Because carpenter ants prefer damp, softened wood for nesting, reducing excess moisture and replacing water-damaged wood can make your property much less attractive to them.
Our Healthy Home Maintenance Program helps protect your home from carpenter ants, pavement ants, spiders, wasps, and many other common household pests with year-round preventative service.
How to Identify a Carpenter Ant
Appearance
Among the largest of ants, 1/4 to 1/2″ long. However, carpenter ants are polymorphic, which means the worker ants can vary in size. The most common species is the Eastern black carpenter ant, but some species are dark red or brown.
Habitat
Carpenter ants are one of the most frequently encountered wood damaging pests throughout the Midwest. In fact, property owners are much more likely to deal with carpenter ants than termites.
Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not consume wood. Instead, they chew through it to create smooth galleries where they establish and expand their nests. Because they rely on moisture, colonies are commonly found in damp, decaying wood, including old tree stumps, fallen logs, and dead branches.
Around homes and businesses, they often nest in areas affected by excess moisture, such as crawl spaces, attics, wall voids, or around leaking windows, roofs, and plumbing. As colonies grow, repeated tunneling can weaken wooden structures over time. During the spring, mature colonies produce winged reproductive ants, known as swarmers, which leave the nest to establish new colonies nearby.
Diet
Carpenter ants are opportunistic omnivorous foragers with a varied diet of both sweets and meats. They feed on sugary substances like nectar and aphid honeydew, while also hunting insects and other small invertebrates for protein. Their habit of tending aphids to harvest honeydew is one of the most recognizable examples of their unique foraging behavior.
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Why Are Carpenter Ants in My House?
Carpenter ants usually invade homes because they find ideal nesting conditions.
Common attractants include:
- Moisture damaged wood
- Water leaks
- Rotting trim
- Tree limbs touching the structure of the home
- Firewood stacked against the home
- Mulch that retains moisture and touches the structure
- Gaps around windows, doors, and utility lines
- Easy access to food and water
Reducing moisture around your home is one of the best ways to discourage carpenter ants.
Carpenter Ant FAQs
Do carpenter ants damage homes?
Yes. Carpenter ants tunnel through wood to build their nests, and large colonies can weaken structural wood over time if left untreated.
How can I tell carpenter ants apart from termites?
Carpenter ants have elbowed antennae, narrow waists, and uneven wing sizes. Termites have straight antennae, broad waists, and four wings that are all the same length.
What will attract carpenter ants?
Moisture damaged wood, decaying trees, the food sources mentioned above, and sheltered nesting locations all attract carpenter ants. Winged carpenter ants are attracted to light.
Can carpenter ants bite or sting?
They do not sting, but they can bite if threatened or if they get caught up against the skin. Bites are uncommon, rarely pierce the skin, and usually do not require medical attention.
Will carpenter ants go away on their own?
No. Colonies generally continue growing until the nest is eliminated or conditions become unsuitable for them to thrive.
Are carpenter ants active year round?
Outdoor activity is highest from spring through fall, but indoor colonies can remain active throughout the year in heated buildings.
Is professional carpenter ant control worth it?
Yes. Because nests are often hidden inside walls or structural wood, professional inspections are the most reliable way to locate and eliminate the source of the infestation and maintain satellite colony pressures. DIY may eliminate foraging ants, but rarely address the root cause of the infestation.
Schedule Professional Carpenter Ant Control Today
If you’ve noticed large ants, wood shavings, or signs of carpenter ant activity around your property, don’t wait for hidden damage to spread.
Franklin Pest Solutions has helped homeowners protect their homes since 1929. Our experienced pest management professionals can locate carpenter ant nests, identify conditions contributing to the infestation, and provide customized solutions to help protect your property for the long term.
Call 1-800-GOT-PESTS? or contact us today to schedule your inspection and receive a free quote for carpenter ant control in Southwest Michigan, Indiana and the Greater Louisville region.
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“Very informative, prompt, professional, and friendly! Answered all my questions and walked me through every step of the service. I would recommend to anyone I know.”
Celina M. | Homeowner
Merrillville, IN
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