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Carpenter ants
Carpenter ants are not harmful to humans but their presence can reveal problems with the structure, insulation or water infiltration. Therefore, it is recommended to carry out their extermination as soon as their presence is spotted near or inside homes.
How to recognize carpenter ants?
There are red and black ants, both having a brown color. Males are around 10 millimeters in size and both males and future queens have wings. Young queens mate in the spring and subsequently lose their wings. In May, winged ants emerge from the nest and take flight. It is therefore important to carefully monitor the processions of workers during this period, which have a size of 6 to 13 mm.
What damage can there be if we do nothing?
Carpenter ants have the habit of digging tunnels in wood and other materials to house their larvae, and have a preference for moist conifers. Unlike termites, they do not feed on wood, but leave signs of their presence in the form of small piles of sawdust that come out of the tunnels. If the cause of their presence is not identified and resolved, the problem can worsen over time and it is essential to obtain specialized ant control products and treat the infestation as quickly as possible.