Termites are known for causing a huge amount of damage. In fact, if you have read other articles about termites, you’ve probably noticed the word “billion” thrown around a lot. That word is adequate – termites cause billions of dollars in damages each year to homes in the US. But what about carpenter ants? Are they as big of a threat as termites? Let’s find out!
Are carpenter ants a threat?
Unlike most ant species, carpenter ants are actually a big threat to the home. Most ant species will not even build a colony indoors, they will simply show up to collect some crumbs, spills or food that you left out. This doesn’t make them anything more than a nuisance. Other species, such as the carpenter and fire ants can be considered pests in the full meaning of the word. They pose either a danger to the building or to its inhabitants, and should be removed as soon as possible.
How do carpenter ants compare to termites in terms of the damage that they do in the home?
While termites might be a multi-billion dollar problem, carpenter ants rank in the hundreds of millions. This is because the vast majority of the wood damage caused by pests in the US is due to subterranean termites. This termite subspecies builds its main colony underground, and then sends out scouts to look for suitable wood to forage. Because a colony can grow to millions in numbers, subterranean termites will be able to destroy wood much faster.
Carpenter ants, and termite subspecies such as the drywood and dampwood termites, will always start a new colony when they infest wood. This colony has to grow over time, and the damage is not that great in the initial stages. Once the colonies are in full swing however, the damage starts to ramp up and the pest will spread out through the entire building.
Removing carpenter ants
To remove a carpenter ant infestation, you have to destroy the entire colony, and in order to do that, you have to kill the queen using baits. Since carpenter ants forage for food outside of their colony, you can set up insecticide-laced pieces of food throughout the home, and when done properly, this will lead to the collapse of the colony. If you would like to know more about carpenter ants and carpenter ant control processes, contact us today.
