Carpenter ants are one of those things that you don’t expect to see. You don’t want to see them or an infestation of them. But unfortunately, they are the largest ants that people will ever see inside their homes, and they can do a lot of damage to your home if you’re not careful.
For that reason, you can’t underestimate how important of a role they play in the health of your home. They come into your house for one reason only: they want to look for food. However, they don’t want to eat what you have in your pantry. Instead, they want to chew on the fresh wood that is framing your house and make a nest out of it.
That’s why it’s essential that if you suspect that you see carpenter ants for the first time, you take action right away before they spread too far throughout the house.
How do you get rid of carpenter ants?
The best way to get rid of carpenter ants will depend on where you find them and just how many there are. They’re usually easy to find their nests since they’ll be filled with sawdust. However, even if you manage to locate the nest, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve found all of them. There is a higher chance they’ll forage for food nearby or even in your house. So if you don’t find the nest, there’s no reason to panic. They can live anywhere and anytime throughout your home.
If you notice many of them crawling around somewhere in the house, then it is a good idea to spray a pesticide near them. While you’re doing that, also look for any damage they might have done to the area and try to patch it up as best as possible. If you only see one or two carpenter ants, then there’s no need to go overboard on killing them. Instead, putting out some ant traps is what you should do. It will be just powerful enough to attract them and prevent them from returning in the future.
Should you call a professional to deal with your carpenter ant problem?
A lot of people don’t feel any need to call a professional. Instead, they assume that they can take care of the problem themselves and save on some money in the process. While there is some merit to this thinking, you really should consider calling a professional pest control expert to deal with your carpenter ants just because it’s much safer than doing it yourself.
If you go out and buy a pesticide that you’re not familiar with, then the job will definitely be done. However, there’s no guarantee that it will just be done to your satisfaction. There is a chance that they might even do more damage than good since they won’t know how strong or weak the pesticide is.
Plus, there might be some areas of your home where you can’t spray pesticides on or near, like upholstery or an electrical outlet. If that’s the case, then you won’t have any recourse but to call a pro and let them deal with it for you.
Without question, learning how to get rid of carpenter ants isn’t easy. Many things might complicate your ability to kill them on the spot, like where they nest and how many of them you see. However, if this is your first time dealing with an infestation of these pests, then calling your trusted pest control expert in McAllen to help is the best thing for you to do.