Carpenter Ant Control in Boston

Countless homes and business structures in the greater Boston area are constructed out of wood, which makes them a potential target for carpenter ants. A colony will make a nest by burrowing inside wood, weakening it, and potentially causing major damage. A severe carpenter ant infestation can permanently compromise the structural integrity of a timber framed building.

Carpenter ants prefer cool, moist climates, which is why they are far more prevalent in the coastal regions of the United States. Boston’s northern climate and regular precipitation make it an attractive home for carpenter ants. Preventing an infestation is crucial for home and business owners. If you think you might have a carpenter ant problem in Boston, our team of experts can assess your area and begin the removal process.

Prevention

Wet and rotting lumber is your home’s enemy: carpenter ants prefer dead, wet wood as it is far easier to bore through. A decaying window pane, rotting outdoor wooden steps, or even damp firewood could present a gateway for carpenter ants to enter your home or business.

Some precautions you can take are:

  • Repair or replace rotting wood on your windows and door frames
  • Be sure to use pressure treated lumber for any repairs
  • Prevent any excess water or moisture from damaging wood in areas such as under a sink, around a tub, or a leaky roof above an attic
  • Store firewood away from your home and off your yard’s soil

If you are unsure if your home is at risk of a carpenter ant infestation, it is well worth having our team provide you with preventative treatments. It is far easier to avoid an infestation than to try to remove one.

Often, carpenter ants will have more than one nest. The main one where the queen resides could be outside the building, with multiple satellite nests within. Finding a single collection of carpenter ants may mean your problems are only beginning.

Identifying Carpenter Ants

If you see a significant number of ants, have a closer look. If they are longer than a quarter inch, up to one inch in size, are dark in color, have three distinct body segments, and have bent antennae, they could be carpenter ants. They may or may not have wings, but if they do, they will have two sets with the rear pair of wings shorter than the front pair.

Carpenter ants do not eat the wood but merely excavate to make a nest. You may find piles of refuse near an infestation, called frass. It is a sawdust-like material that can also contain soil and insect parts. Discovering frass is another indication you could be dealing with carpenter ants.

Carpenter Ant Removal

The sooner you act, the better chance you have to prevent any serious structural damage to your home or business. As carpenter ants tend to have multiple nests, a thorough inspection of your property is necessary. Our experts have decades of experience with carpenter ants in Boston homes and businesses and know where to look. If a nest is behind a wall, it will take a trained eye to find evidence of an infestation.

Once you know the extent of an infestation, the process of eliminating the carpenter ant colony can begin. Simply killing the visible ants will not stop the problem, only eliminating the queen will. To do this, our exterminators have several options on what kinds of treatments can be used: they can select chemical, non-chemical, or even organic solutions. By personalizing the service, they can choose the procedure that is right for you, your family, or your business.

If you think you have a problem with carpenter ants, do not hesitate to call us at 800-439-6321 or connect with us online to get started today.