The Dangers of Carpenter Ants and What You Can Do About Them

Carpenter ants are one of Australia’s most dreaded home invaders and cause serious damage to buildings, furniture and other wood-based possessions. Although they don’t spread disease, their destructive behaviour can cost homeowners expensive repairs. Here, we’ll look at the dangers of carpenter ants and what you can do to protect your property from them. 

What are Carpenter Ants?

Carpenter ants are large, black ant species (up to 12mm in length) found throughout Australia. They are known to pave their own paths through wood, using a powerful mandible to chew and scrape away wood, eventually creating their own galleries. This can cause significant damage to everything in the home, from furniture to structural wooden beams.

What Are the Dangers of Carpenter Ants?

Carpenter ant damage can be both destructive and expensive to repair, with homeowners in some cases having to replace entire wooden support beams and other structural features of their homes. Often the damage is also hidden from sight, with the ants burrowing their galleries inside walls or within furniture, meaning you may not know where the colonies are until the damage is already done.  

Carpenter ants can also spread quickly. Newly hatched ants produce a so-called “swarm” or “nuptial” flight during which they spread out to colonise new areas. One colony of carpenter ants can easily become many, making the problem harder to deal with. 

What You Can Do About Carpenter Ants 

Prevention

The best way to protect your home from carpenter ants is to prevent them from gaining a foothold in the first place. Ensure that any plants growing near your home are well-maintained and that any potential nesting sites – like firewood piles, tree stumps or debris – are kept away from your home. It is also important to watch for signs of an ant infestation, including wood dust or sawdust (which comes from the ants drilling and tunnelling through the wood), as well as evidence of their presence, such as trails of ants. 

Inspection and Treatment

If you see signs that carpenter ants have invaded your home, it’s important to call a pest control specialist as soon as possible. A trained professional can help you identify the extent of the infestation, recommend the best course of action and perform any necessary treatments. Treatments may include using insecticides and baits, as well as sealing or removing existing galleries and nests. 

Read more: What to Do After an Ant Pest Control Treatment

Carpenter ants can be a serious threat to your home if not dealt with correctly. With proper prevention and treatment, however, you can protect your property from these destructive insects and the costly damage they can cause. At Rockypest, we are experts in pest control and can help you with all your carpenter ant needs. Get in touch today to learn more.

Related posts:

Posted in

Robert Luckens

Robert is the founder of Rockypest Pty Ltd, formed at the end of 2013. Still trading as Rockingham Pest Control and Luckens Pest Control. Robert has been in the Pest Control Industry since 1988, prior to this he was in the fumigation industry for 3 years so with over 30 years experience you can be rest assured that you will receive the best possible service at all times.

Leave a comment