Carpenter Ants Can Eat You Out of House & Home

Brevard County pest control experts are overly familiar with carpenter ants. We are a county overrun by many outdoors wooden structures and have a year-round tropical climate that suits pests just fine. Our wooden structures are exposed not only to the relentless Florida sun, but to the salt-air that corrodes away at them from the nearby ocean and our Indian River Lagoon. In short, this is prime carpenter ant country. If you see or suspect a carpenter ant infestation on your property it’s important to contact the Brevard County pest control experts at Apex as soon as possible. Carpenter ants have the same basic destructive properties as termites and are not to be taken lightly.

Some random level of carpenter ants should be expected around most Central Florida areas. Dispensing of them only becomes an issue when an infestation is taking place. But when one does, it is vital that professionals are brought in. The ants don’t actually eat wood; they just chew it, which, in large numbers, can almost become more destructive than termites. But there are some things you can do to identify whether or not you have a quickly developing problem:

• Sawdust: As mentioned above, the ants don’t actually consume wood, they just chew it. This leaves notable trails of sawdust and often large groupings of shredded wood. If this dust, or the destroyed wood, does not have an obvious culprit, carpenter ants may indeed be a suspect.
• Damp Wood: The easier the wood, the more attractive to the ants. Wood such as that used in docks, treated woods, and hardwood will have a much lower chance of falling prey to carpenter ants. They look for softer woods, and consistently damp wood fits this description. Keep an eye on your kitchen and bathrooms in particular.
• Eggs: Carpenter ants have a distinctive type of egg, and too many of these eggs can often mean many ants. The perimeter of your property (fences, decks, etc.) is important to monitor here. These ants favor outdoor structures.

If any of these symptoms sound like things that are occurring on your property, a call to the Brevard County pest control experts at Apex may be in order. Our carpenter ant specialists have a variety of techniques and treatments available for your home or business to reduce and eradicate this damaging pest. Not to mention, more tips and ideas for avoiding them. Feel free to call 866-675-4070 for more information and estimates.