Unlike many common pests, carpenter ants aren't just bad for homeowners because they can invade a living space and make people uncomfortable, but rather, they can cause damage to homes. When people find themselves with a serious carpenter ant infestation, damage to wood can be so severe that the structural integrity of the room or home is called into question.
This possibility of severe enough damage to require home repair or renovation underscores the importance of ant control. Pest control experts can come into your home and eliminate an ant infestation and prevent future problems, saving your home unnecessary damage.
Of course, pest management services can be called in to help you investigate your home for unwanted guests, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be vigilant at all times looking for possible problems. Unlike termites, carpenter ants don't eat the wood, they excavate it. This means that their tunnels are smooth and void of wood dust.
Carpenter ants can be found in old homes as well as newer ones. Sometimes the construction of new developments can make ants immigrate into the new homes and begin their nests. Other times, in older homes, ants are attracted to areas where wood may be damaged by water or time. In the wild, carpenter ants make their homes in tree stumps and similar wood structures.
Their nests are commonly found in hollow spaces near wood, including walls, doors and insulation. In addition to looking for their damage, it's important to be able to spot the ant itself. Carpenter ants have slender waists, bent antennae and two pairs of wings. They're sometimes confused with termites, which have longer equal wings and straight antennae.
Although pest control services may be the best at ridding a home of carpenter ants, there are preventative measures that homeowners can take to lessen the likelihood that ants will invade in the first place.
Keeping wood away from your home is imperative. This means that you should store your wood pile in a rack in the yard, rather than against the house. Trees and vegetation touching the house should also be avoided, as should rotting logs or stumps anywhere in the vicinity.
Treating moisture problems is also important. The water and water damage can attract carpenter ants. Cracks and openings in the house can also be cause for concern, including where pipes enter the house.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
