When you have a carpenter ant infestation, the last thing you want is to make mistakes that will exacerbate it. Carpenter ants are like termites, in that they destroy the wood of a building, so they have to be dealt with quickly and effectively, otherwise, they may end up causing thousands of dollars in damage. In this article, we’re going to go over some of the common mistakes that homeowners make when they have a carpenter ant infestation.
Misidentifying the infestation
One of the main problems when dealing with carpenter ants is confusing them with a different species. You may see large black ants crawling around the kitchen, and think they are just normal ants that you need to spray or drop some dust on to keep them out of the home. However, if you simply manage to deter carpenter ants from entering the kitchen, they will still be inside the wood of the home, gnawing away at it.
Ignoring the infestation
If you see signs of carpenter ant infestations, and you ignore them for whatever reason, then you give these pests a chance to grow in number and build new colonies in the home. Before you know it, both the infestation and the damage it caused becomes extensive and you will have to pay thousands of dollars in control and repair fees. You should call a pest control pro over as soon as you notice the first signs of a carpenter ant infestation.
Relying on DIY methods to get the infestation under control
DIY methods are not very effective against carpenter ants. As mentioned previously, repellents will not do anything to address the presence of the colony. If anything, they will just make matters worse. The only way to make sure that a carpenter ant infestation is stopped in its tracks is to get rid of the colony itself, and for that you will need to kill the queen using baits. If baits are improperly or incompletely used, the colony will not be destroyed and it will continue digging away at the wood of your home.
So the best way to completely remove a carpenter ant colony is to hire a pest control pro who will have the products and expertise needed to ensure that the queen dies. Contact us today with any questions you may have, or to set up a carpenter ant control appointment.