How to Tell Carpenter Ants From Other Ants
- Size: They are large, about a quarter to half an inch long, bigger than most ants you see in a kitchen
- Color: Black, or black with a reddish tint
- Shape: A narrow waist with one segment, a smooth rounded back and bent antennae
- Activity: Most active at night, so you may see them after dark near sinks, tubs and baseboards
- Spring swarmers: Winged carpenter ants appear in spring and can show up indoors
Carpenter ants or termites? Both can damage wood, but they are not the same. Termites are pale and thick waisted, and they build mud tubes. Carpenter ants leave clean, smooth tunnels and sawdust piles. If you are unsure, book a Termite Inspection.
Signs of a Carpenter Ant Nest
- Small piles of sawdust or wood shavings, sometimes mixed with bits of dead insects, below walls, window frames or baseboards
- A faint rustling or crackling sound in walls, especially at night
- Large ants seen indoors, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms
- Winged ants indoors in spring
- Ants traveling in lines along pipes, wires or the edges of walls
- Soft, damp or damaged wood near leaks or windows
Seeing a few carpenter ants now and then can mean they are only foraging. Seeing many, or seeing sawdust, usually means a nest close by.
Where Carpenter Ants Nest
Carpenter ants usually keep a main colony outside, then send some ants to start smaller nests inside the home. These indoor nests often form in wood that is wet or damaged. Joints around brick, vinyl and aluminum exteriors can give foraging ants a path inside when gaps open near damp wood.
Outside
- Dead trees, stumps and hollow branches
- Wood piles and firewood
- Fence posts and old landscape timbers
- Tree branches touching the roof
Inside your home
- Window frames and sills with moisture
- Walls near bathrooms and kitchens
- Wood near roof leaks or under a damaged roof edge
- Around chimneys and skylights
- Decks, porches and door frames
- Hollow wood or insulation
Downers Grove has many older homes with mature trees right beside the house. That gives carpenter ants a source colony nearby and a path to the roof and siding. Carpenter ants are often active along tree lines in the area in spring. Regional conditions bring moderate carpenter ant pressure near mature trees and moisture-damaged wood, with activity increasing as the typical last frost passes in late April.
How We Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
1. Inspection. We look inside and outside for trails, sawdust and damp wood. Finding the nest, or the path to it, decides how well the treatment works.
2. Treat the nest. Once we find it, we treat the nest directly. This may include treating the wall or wood void where the ants live.
3. Bait and outdoor treatment. We use bait to reach ants that forage, and we treat the outside of the home to stop new ants from coming in and to reach the main colony where possible.
4. Fix the conditions. Carpenter ants prefer wet or damaged wood. We point out leaks, rot or gaps that need repair so they do not come back.
5. Follow up. We check for activity and adjust the plan if needed.
If we find wood that is already damaged, we will tell you. Repairs need a contractor, and we can advise you on what to ask for.
How Serious Is the Damage?
Carpenter ants usually cause damage more slowly than termites. But a colony that stays in a home for years can weaken wood, especially in areas that stay wet. The nest can also grow and spread into satellite nests in other parts of the house.
The sooner it is treated, the smaller the repair.
What You Can Do at Home
- Repair roof, window and plumbing leaks
- Trim tree branches so they do not touch the house
- Remove stumps and dead wood near the home
- Store firewood away from the house and off the ground
- Seal gaps around pipes, wires and windows
- Keep gutters clean so water drains away from the walls
Carpenter Ant Control Across Downers Grove
We treat carpenter ants in homes and businesses throughout Downers Grove, including ZIP codes 60515 and 60516, and in nearby towns such as Lisle, Woodridge, Westmont and Darien. If you are close by, call us anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do carpenter ants eat wood?
No. They dig through it to make nests and push the sawdust out. They feed on other insects and sweet foods. The damage comes from their tunnels, not from eating.
How do I find the nest?
Look for sawdust piles, listen for rustling in walls at night and watch where ants go after dark. Because nests are usually hidden, a technician who knows where to look can find them faster.
Are the winged ants in my house carpenter ants or termites?
It can be hard to tell. Carpenter ants have bent antennae, a narrow waist and front wings longer than the back. Termites have straight antennae, a thick waist and wings of equal length. If you are not sure, call us for an inspection.
Can I get rid of carpenter ants with spray?
Spray may kill the ants you see, but it usually does not reach the nest, and the colony continues. Treating the nest and fixing the moisture that attracted them works better.
How long does it take to get rid of carpenter ants?
It depends on the size of the colony and how many nests there are. Many cases improve in a couple of weeks, but larger colonies can take longer. We explain what to expect at your visit.
Will carpenter ants come back?
They can if the wood stays wet or a parent nest remains nearby. We treat the nests we find and help you fix what attracted them. Call us if you see new signs.
Is the treatment safe for children and pets?
Your technician uses products according to the label and tells you where they were applied and if anything needs to be avoided for a short time. Let us know about children and pets before we start.
Related services: Ant Control | Termite Inspection | Home Pest Protection Plan