How Utah Homeowners Can Prevent Carpenter Ants This Summer
June 17, 2019 - Carpenter Ants
There are many species of ants in the United States, each one unique in its own way. But all have one thing in common. When they invade homes, they become pests. Now, for most species of ants, this invasion only involves scavenging food and drink that has been left out. Although this can be frustrating, the problem this causes does not come close to the trouble that carpenter ants pose. As their name would suggest, carpenter ants do not behave as other ants do. Instead, they build nests (or rather chew them out of the wood that makes up our homes.) This behavior damages our homes and leaves us with a serious need, a need to keep these pests at bay.
When Carpenter Ants Are Active
Carpenter ants are an interesting pest when it comes to where they go in the winter time. For carpenter ants in the wild, hibernation is the only option they have when the weather gets colder. However, if carpenter ants find a home to build a nest inside, and the walls they are building inside stay warm enough to sustain life, they can remain active all winter long. This means, if your home had carpenter ants at the beginning of last winter, chances are they are still there eating away at your home. Regardless, at this point in the year, the temperatures have heated up for all carpenter ants inside and outside to become active, leaving your home at risk.
Steps To Keep Your Home Carpenter Ant-Free
Carpenter ants are much like termites, they are attracted to homes for many of the same reasons. Unlike termites, however, carpenter ants do not eat the wood they chew through, but only tunnel through it to build nests. Here are a few prevention tips you can implement around your home to try to keep carpenter ants away.
Reduce moisture around your home.
- Fixing leaky pipes, installing dehumidifiers in particularly humid areas of your home, and by making sure all of your drains are in good working order.
- Keep your yard free of debris.
- Frequently clean out trashcans to prevent sticky residue from building up for carpenter ants to scavenge.
- Look for and seal up entry points around your home that carpenter ants could use to get inside.
- Pick up pet food after your pets are done with it.
- Repair any wood around your home that has been water damaged as these areas are where carpenter ants will try to invade.
Why Call Pickett Pest Control For Your Carpenter Ant Treatments
Although the above tips can help in keeping your home carpenter ant free, none of them are perfect solutions. If you want the absolute best carpenter ant protection for your home, we have your answer here at Pickett Pest Control. To find out what this would look like for you and your home give us a call today. We will have one of our highly trained pest technicians head out your way ASAP to find a solution for you.