How To Get Rid Of Carpenter Ants In Your Manchester Home

Nobody wants to see a trail of ants climbing up the sides of their support beams or scurrying beneath the slats in their deck. However, we've all been there. When it comes to ant control in Manchester, it's important to identify the ant species so that you can come up with the best way to prevent and eliminate an ant problem.

What Carpenter Ants Look Like In Manchester

When it comes to carpenter ants, we have a lot of bad news. Yes, carpenter ants in Manchester come aplenty with friends. A colony of black carpenter ants in your home, when fully mature, can contain 10-20,000 workers, averaging at about 5,000 per colony. They come in different colors as well, so at least it's a flashy infestation. Aside from black, they can be bright red, brown, or a combination of those three. There's typically only one wingless queen, and yes, these ants do bite. And to be honest, when they bite, it can be painful due to the formic acid they inject into the wound. The good news, however, is that the bite doesn't have any serious health issues that arise from it.

When it comes to carpenter ants and other problem pests in your Manchester home, education is key.  Understanding how to identify, prevent, and eliminate this pest will help protect your home and your assets.  So, how do we avoid carpenter ant damage to your home?  To kick them out, we have a few secrets that, when put in the right hands, can be used for the good of all houses. It's time to take charge of the carpenter ants in your Manchester homes and the messes they leave behind.

The Damage Carpenter Ants Can Cause To Your Manchester Home

Everyone knows that carpenter ants in Manchester can infest and ruin homes like that. What many don't know is how they destroy structural wood. Unlike termites, black carpenter ants in your home don't actually eat wood. Instead, they tunnel through the wood to create nests or galleries.

Five Natural Carpenter Ant Prevention Tips For Manchester Homes

When it comes to carpenter ants and other unwanted pests, the best offense is a good defense. DIY remedies like over-the-counter carpenter ant spray may seem like a good idea but proceed with caution. These sprays are often toxic to people and pets, and when misused, they could make you and your loved ones sick. Instead, here are four natural ways to prevent a carpenter ant problem in your Manchester home. 

1. Dealing with fungus and moisture problems: That's right. It turns out that leaky skylight and the dark cupboard where the water drips onto the hardwood floor is a serious "come live here" sign to these specific critters. It happens because they like to chew through soft wood to save their chompers some energy. So, fix the leaks, and you'll give them less incentive to move in.
2. They're in the trees: To get rid of carpenter ants, you need to think like an ant. Where do they come from? How do they get in? Well, one way is through the wood. Branches that come up to your window act like perfect bridges into your house. So a handy tip is to cut back these branches so that carpenter ants in trees in the yard can't sneak in without invitations. 
3. Store firewood outside, away from your home. Fire ants like to nest in all wood and will likely be attracted to piles of firewood. Be sure to store your firewood away from the foundation of your home so if carpenter ants infest, they won't have easy access to the structural components of your house. 
4. The liminal spaces are an ant's best friend: Remember, the most common culprits in all this are the black carpenter ants in your home. And man, they're tiny little monsters of the night. This means they get in through the stuff you don't normally see. Any little cracks under the doors or in the sides of windows are prime pathways for their single-track minds, and they will take advantage. So, caulk up those nooks and crannies, and you'll be all that much safer.
5. Reduce access to food and water: You know what carpenter ants love more than a water source? Something tasty. The workers will travel far out of the nest to follow the sweet scent of that cake left on the kitchen counter. They also go for things like candy, eggs, meats, and even grease. So, keep your food stored well and dry, and wipe down your counters. 

Following these five tips will help you avoid carpenter ant damage to your home. However, despite your best efforts, you still may need to reach out to a pest control professional for effective, safe carpenter ant removal. 

The Secret To Getting Rid Of Carpenter Ants In Your Manchester Home

If you realize you have carpenter ants in your home, it's essential to act quickly before the problem grows exponentially; If you let carpenter ants hang around your home long enough to swarm, you will likely have to deal with a significant problem in the future.   

When it comes down to it, spotting the infestation earlier before they can nest and dealing with it appropriately will yield the best results. Well, that and carpenter ant spray, of course. But the real fight is at the source. Carpenter ants like to swarm in things like rotting tree stumps and disintegrating wood fences. So the carpenter ants in trees in the yard are probably multiplying there if yours has a dead limb. 

Though you may be tempted to deal with a carpenter ant problem on your own, effective control and elimination may be impossible and dangerous with over-the-counter remedies. Instead, to save time and money, we suggest reaching out to our team of professionals at EcoChoice Termite & Pest Control. We have the tools and experience to safely and effectively rid your home of carpenter ants. 

Our team of licensed experts will inspect your property and develop a customized plan for your unique pest problem. After treatment, we will return for follow-up visits to ensure that your pest problem is a thing of the past. To learn more about our carpenter ant control options, reach out to us today.