Summer has quickly approached and with the heat comes an influx of pests making their way into your climate-controlled home. One of the most common pets you might find lurking are carpenter ants. Here are 10 common signs of carpenter ants in your house.
1. Winged ants appearing inside the home
The first sign of a carpenter ant infestation might seem obvious, but it is important to know what to look for. Carpenter ants are often mistaken for common house ants or termites but theses pests are not the same. Look for large black or reddish-black ants about 1/2 to 5/8 inch long with wings.
Carpenter ants can commonly be seen emerging from walls, ceilings, or other crevices. They are on the hunt for moist, rotten wood which are ideal conditions for carpenter ants to establish their nests.
Door and window frames, under sinks and bathtubs, porches, laundry rooms, and crawlspaces, are all common locations to find carpenter ants.
2. Visible ant tunnels or galleries in damaged wood
If you can’t find the ants themselves but think you are seeing signs of carpenter ants in your house, be sure to look for tunnels in any damaged wood. Carpenter ants tunnel in wood to create nests, not for food. They excavate galleries and chambers in wood that is typically damp, decayed, or damaged by other factors like moisture or fungi. These ants prefer softened wood because it’s easier to chew through, but they can also extend their tunnels into sound wood. As they excavate, carpenter ants create smooth, sandpaper-like tunnels that run with the wood grain, unlike termites which create rough tunnels that cut across the grain.
3. Hollow-sounding wood when tapped
Hollow-sounding wood is a significant indicator of a potential carpenter ant infestation. When these pests tunnel through wood, they often leave the outer surface intact while hollowing out the interior. This results in wood that appears normal on the outside but is actually empty inside.
To detect hollow wood, you can tap on the surface with a tool like a screwdriver or a hammer. If the wood sounds empty or echoes, it suggests that the interior has been compromised. This hollow sound occurs because the pests have removed the structural material, leaving behind air-filled cavities.
Identifying hollow-sounding wood early is crucial, as it indicates that the infestation has been ongoing for some time and may have already caused significant damage to the structural integrity of the wood. If you think you have hollow-sounding wood in your home, call one of our pest experts quickly before more damage is caused.
4. Faint insect rustling sounds, particularly at night
While it might sound creepy, it is highly possible you are not imagining the strange noises heard in your house at night. In fact, this is ones of the signs of carpenter ants in your house, In larger infestations, carpenter ants can produce audible noises as they move and work inside walls or wooden structures.
These noises are most commonly heard at night due to the quieter environment and can be described as rustling or crinkling similar to the sound of cellophane or paper being crumpled. Other noises you might hear are a faint ticking, quiet crackling, a soft scratching, or faint chewing.
5. Warped or sagging floors from carpenter ant damage
As carpenter ants create tunnels inside wood, this can affect the structural integrity of your home and can cause warped floors. This type of damage typically appears over years of untreated infestations. Carpenter ants prefer damp or decaying wood, so moisture issues can exacerbate the problem.
6. Shed carpenter ant wings found on windowsills or other surfaces
Winged carpenter ants, also known as swarmers or alates, are the reproductive members of the colony. These ants take flight to mate, typically during the spring and early summer. After mating, the male ants die, and the fertilized female ants land, shed their wings, and begin searching for a suitable place to establish a new colony. Because of this, the presence of shed wings is one of the clear signs of carpenter ants in your house, indicating that these ants have found a place to nest and are starting a new colony
7. Presence of moisture or water-damaged wood in the home
Carpenter ants thrive in conditions with moist wood, so any pre-existing water damage in your home increases your likelihood for a carpenter ant infestation in the future
8. Visible ant trails leading to and from the house
Unlike many ant species, carpenter ants don’t typically have noticeable trails inside homes, but rather find their way with scent-based chemical trails instead, which can make them harder to follow. However, you can keep an eye out for visible trails carpenter ants follow outdoors. Single carpenter ants can be spotted rummaging from their nests at night on the hunt for food.
9. Smooth, sandpapered-like surfaces on damaged wood caused by ants
Among the most common signs of carpenter ants in your house are smooth, sandpapered surfaces within the wood they excavate for their nests. Unlike termites, which leave rough, mud-packed tunnels, carpenter ants produce clean, polished galleries with a sandpaper-like texture. This smooth appearance results from the ants chewing and carving out the wood rather than eating it.
10. Small piles of sawdust-like material (frass) near wooden structures
If you notice small piles of what appears to be sawdust near wood in your home, it is time to call a local exterminator immediately. Carpenter ant frass is the debris expelled by carpenter ants as they excavate wood to create their nests. This resembles sawdust or pencil shavings and is often found in small piles beneath the infested wood. Carpenter ants push this frass out through small openings they create in the wood to keep their galleries clean and the presence of frass is a key indicator of a carpenter ant infestation.
Speak to the carpenter ant experts in Upstate New York and Vermont
Over-the counter pesticides unfortunately will not get the job done when it comes to carpenter ants. These pests can cause extensive damage to your home and their extermination must be taken seriously. Be sure to contact pest control specialists if you see any of the signs above in your home. Request a free inspection of your home today.
For additional guidance on how to prevent carpenter ant damage, contact Nature’s Way Pest Control and get a free inspection by a professional exterminator. Please call 518-745-5958 for services in Albany, Glens Falls, Saratoga, or as far north as Plattsburgh, NY. For experts in Rutland, Burlington, and western Vermont, call 802-855-2978
