Hire a Carpenter Ant Control Exterminator
If you’re a resident of Connecticut, you’ve surely heard of carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are one of the most common invaders of homes in the northeastern United States, causing significant damage to CT homes every year. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not consume the wood, but rather chew tunnels in the wood to create nests. With average colonies reaching numbers upwards of 20,000 workers, carpenter ants are not insects that should be ignored. Thankfully, if you’re looking for carpenter ant removal in CT, Ed Lavery & Sons has you covered.
Carpenter Ant Life Cycle
A carpenter ant colony has a single wingless queen and many sterile, wingless, female workers. The eggs that the queen lays are white and the pupae cocoons are a tan color. Although the ants will hibernate during the winter time, they will continue to be active if the nest is located in a heated portion of a building. On average, the queen will lay 15-20 eggs to get a colony started, and the number just increases from there. Initially, a new colony starts slowly, as the only food the first brood has to eat are food reserves stored by the queen’s body. After the first brood is fully grown, usually about 60 days from egg to worker, the first ants will feed and care for the subsequent larvae, making the population size balloon quickly.
Signs of a Carpenter Ant Infestation
Of course, the first thing to look for are signs of large (½ inch), wingless, dark-colored ants in and around your home. Carpenter ants will eat holes in siding and around the exterior of a home, so be looking for any holes in the wood that shouldn’t be there. Typically emerging at night, carpenter ants in CT will feed on meats and foods containing sugars and fats. During the summer between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., homeowners can take a flashlight and check the home exterior, basement, garage, and attic for signs. If you see signs of carpenter ants, try to see if you can follow the ants back to their nest or discover where they are entering the house. If you are unsure if you have an infestation, you’ll want to call a carpenter ant exterminator in CT to help you identify the types of ants you’re seeing.
Carpenter Ant Removal in CT
The most important step in Connecticut carpenter ant removal is to identify where the colony is located. The parent and satellite colonies must be destroyed or the ants will reappear with in a few weeks. If a carpenter ant colony has infested a tree near the home, it either needs to be removed or treated with specific products that a pest management professional can use. The key with carpenter ants is to remove them all and to remove the queens, and most over the counter or household products won’t be able to do the job. If you’re struggling with a carpenter ant infestation, give your local Connecticut carpenter ant exterminator a call.