Why Carpenter Ants Love Tupelo Properties

In our Baldwyn service area, carpenter ants are common pests. They can present a minor threat or a major threat, depending on conditions that are present on a property. These conditions will determine how much carpenter ants will love your property. Your goal should be to make them love you less. Let's take a look at them.

1. Carpenter ants love rotting wood.

Carpenter ants nest inside soft wood. If you have rotting wood on your property, you're likely to have more trouble with carpenter ants. Some carpenter ant habitats are obvious. Others are not so obvious.

• Stumps and logs are perfect for carpenter ants. If you have them near your home, you can have issues with carpenter ants exploring your exterior and getting into your home.
• Trees with heart rot provide a great harborage for carpenter ants. If you notice a tree with dead branches, it might be that there is heart rot inside. There may also be carpenter ants.
• If you have wood stacked in your yard, such as construction materials, campfire wood, pallets, etc., these can be attractive to carpenter ants. While they won't nest inside every piece of wood they find, they're drawn to areas where wood is present.
• If areas of your home are rotting, this can invite carpenter ants to inhabit your home. While they can get into a home that has no exterior wood rot, this condition will increase your chances of a carpenter ant problem.

2. Carpenter Ants love dampness.

You're going to find these ants near moisture points in your home and in damp areas around your home. They're also drawn to dampness that isn't easily seen, such as the moisture under a leaf pile or leaf litter. When you take time to remove leaves from your property, you get rid of a key attractant for carpenter ants and other pests.

3. Carpenter Ants Love Honeydew

Do you know what honeydew is? It is an excretion created by plant-damaging pests like aphids, white flies, and scales. These insects suck the sap out of your plants with their sucking mouthparts and leave honeydew stuck to the surface of stems and leaves. If you have pests damaging the plants on your property, you shouldn't be surprised when you start having issues with carpenter ants as well. Not only do carpenter ants eat this sweet material, but they have also been observed protecting the insects that create it. This will add to plant damage and make your landscaping look unsightly.

Carpenter Ant Prevention

When you take steps to address rotting wood, moisture issues, and plant-damaging insects, you can have a big impact on carpenter ants. After this is done, there is one more thing to consider. Take the time to inspect the exterior of your home and seal any entry points that carpenter ants might use to get into your home. Pay close attention to moisture points, such as where the water main enters your home through your foundation or exterior wall. Here are a few more entry points to consider.

• Inspect the weatherstripping and sweeps on all your exterior doors.
• Inspect the screens on your exterior doors and windows.
• Inspect around window and door frames.
• Make sure you have weep hole protectors if you live in a brick home.
• Make sure your vents are covered.
• Use a foundation repair kit to seal any cracks in your foundation.
• Repair areas of wood rot, and use a caulking gun to seal holes, cracks, or gaps that you don't have time to properly repair.
• Make sure your garage door has a good seal.

Things To Keep In Mind About Carpenter Ants

• These ants can get into your trash and they are attracted to the smell of your trash. Proper trash management and receptacle sanitation is key to carpenter ant prevention.
• If you keep recycling items in your garage, make sure they're as clean as possible. These can invite carpenter ants inside.
• If you have trees that produce nuts, don't bag them and put them near your home. You'll quickly regret it.
• Carpenter ants can get into your pantry. For added protection, we recommend putting pantry foods in sealed containers. This is a good general practice to prevent all pests from getting into your stored foods.
• Carpenter ants love pet food. Some species are strongly attracted to sources of protein. It is a good idea to only put pet food down during mealtimes, and never leave it out overnight (because carpenter ants are nocturnal).

The Best Protection Against Carpenter Ants

There is no better way to protect your property than to invest in an ongoing residential pest control plan. With routine treatments and pest management, your exterior will have what it needs to repel and resist pest activity. Reach out to us today to learn about the services we offer. We're here to help you get control of pests around and inside your Baldwyn property.