Just how much damage can carpenter ants in your house do? Well, it turns out quite a lot. When left untreated, a carpenter ant infestation can be a significant threat.  The danger that these insects pose comes in the form of structural damage to your home. Carpenter ants create their colonies inside wood. If they find a wooden beam or some kind of wooden structure in your home, they will tunnel through it, weakening your home in the process.

Although it is a rare occurrence, if a carpenter ant colony does enough damage, your home may collapse!

Are carpenter ants as damaging as termites?

Fortunately, carpenter ants are not the most damaging insects that you can have in the home. A termite infestation is capable of doing much more damage much faster. Learn about another ant species: The Pavement Ant. Carpenter ants are much easier to detect than termites Most termite species do not see daylight unless they are in their swarming phase, when winged reproductive members of the colony fly out in search of a new nesting location. Carpenter ants on the other hand need to leave the nest in order to forage for food. Luckily for us in Vancouver, a termite infestation in a structure is extremely rare.

If you do see ants in your home, your next challenge is to correctly identify the species. Learn more about ants in your home here. If you have a carpenter ant infestation and you ignore it, or you address it incorrectly, the ants will do a lot of damage to your home.

There are two ways in which you can identify carpenter ants. First, you have their looks. Carpenter ants are about half of an inch in size, which is larger than most ant species, and they are colored black. Then, you can check any wooden supports or structures in your home for frass (saw dust). If you notice frass near their base, that means that the wood is infested.

In these situations, you want to contact Pestcheck right away so we can eradicate the colony. Learn how to Pestcheck your home here. We provide a free inspection for infestations of carpenter ant in you house.

Don’t let carpenter ants damage your home! If you suspect an infestation or need professional advice, our expert team is here to help. We offer tailored pest control solutions for residents in West Vancouver, North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby & New West, Coquitlam & Tri-Cities, or Richmond,. Contact us today for a free inspection and let us protect your home from carpenter ants and other pests. Your home’s safety and integrity are our top priorities.

More resources: Protect Your Home From Carpenter Ants