All About Carpenter Ants In Monmouth County, NJ

Many people compare carpenter ants to termites. However, there is one key difference between the two pests in Monmouth County. While termites eat and digest wood, carpenter ants do not. These ants tunnel through the wood but don’t eat the wood as they dig.

For this reason, carpenter ants seek out homes with more than just wood. They are attracted to the same food you often eat, as well as a few other things you may have lying around your home or business. Carpenter ants are attracted to protein and sugars of any form. In addition to eating your crumbs, carpenter ants enjoy eating dead insects, honeydew from aphids, and pet foods. If you have any sugary or protein-filled foods around, carpenter ants will find your property appealing. And even though these pests don’t eat wood, they are drawn to homes with moist wood. When lumber is wet, it’s easy to chew through.

Keeping Carpenter Ants Where They Belong

As one of the largest types of ants in Monmouth, carpenter ants are also one of the most devastating. They aren’t notorious for harming your health, but they can harm your structure. As carpenter ants chew through your wood, they damage key structural elements. They don’t do as much damage as termites but are capable of leaving you with a high repair bill. If you have a serious infestation and don’t do anything about it, you could face serious consequences.

Unfortunately, it’s common for carpenter ants to end up indoors. Despite an abundance of food outside, ants can’t turn down a free and easy meal. If you have an open garbage can or open food in your pantry, you have ample food for ants. When carpenter ants come inside, they cause two significant problems. First, they damage your wood. Secondly, they contaminate your food. If you don’t take steps to keep carpenter ants outside, it may be too late to protect your property.

Preventing And Eliminating Carpenter Ants

It’s essential to be proactive because carpenter ants are relentless. Once they get inside, the ants will reproduce and thrive. On your own, it’s nearly impossible to eliminate carpenter ants. The best thing you can do is to keep these pests outdoors. To keep your wood safe from carpenter ants, you can take the following steps:

• Repair Moist Wood: If you have any water-damaged wood, replace it with dry wood. Ants won’t be as likely to chew through it.
• Keep Your Pantry Clean: Do you have crumbs and open boxes in your pantry? If so, you could have carpenter ants. Clean up your pantry and seal your food in containers.
• Deep Clean Behind Appliances: Usually, crumbs hide out behind stoves and under ovens. In addition to performing a regular clean of your building, take the time to deep clean.
• Seal Garbage Cans: Don’t let your garbage cans be a beacon to ants. To make your property less appealing, use lids on your garbage cans. This applies to both indoor and outdoor cans.

Work With A Professional

If you want a more effective method of keeping out carpenter ants, you need to work with a professional. Here at Alliance Pest Services, we have years of experience handling carpenter ant prevention. We have residential pest control and commercial pest control service plans with a guarantee for complete satisfaction. Call us today at Alliance Pest Services to learn more.