Providence (401) 490-0919
East Greenwich (401) 398-0113
South County (401) 213-6652
East Greenwich (401) 398-0113
South County (401) 213-6652
A Carpenter Ant is a large ant that is very common in Rhode Island and the New England Area. They are usually black in color but can also be red. Carpenter Ant Colonies can be quite destructive while enlarging their nests. Carpenter Ants do not eat wood but they will excavate tunnels in the wood. These tunnels will be very clean and smooth unlike termites that would be filled with packed dirt.
Carpenter Ants range in color black, red (yes red) or some of both. They have 6 legs. 3 distinct body parts- head, thorax and abdomen, as are all ants. This is a great way to tell the difference between ants and termites. Sizes range from 1/4" to 5/8" easy to see antennae. Schedule a FREE Carpenter Ant Inspection
Not in the way some ants do. In all the years I have been an Exterminator (over 28 years) I have been covered in Carpenter Ants before and I have only been bitten once and that was from a very big ant trapped between my skin and shirt. If you need a Carpenter Ant Exterminator, in Providence, Newport and everywhere in between, Cobra Pest Control is the Company.
The most common would be the Ants themselves. Usually If you are only seeing 1 or 2 occasionally then the nest is probably outside. If its a lot at a time or in the same general area then you probably do have a nest close. Sawdust and unexplained wood cravings is a sign. Another is actually noises of scrapping or crinkling.
Carpenter Ants are everywhere and are constantly foraging for food which is the same things as any other ant (NO Carpenter Ants do not eat wood). Carpenter Ants can enter your home from very small openings. They can crawl across a power line or tree branch and enter from the attic. People can go years before they realize they have Carpenter Ants especially if there is an available food source away from the family.
There is a lot of Over the Counter Pesticides out there. They are half way decent but require a lot of use (I don't care that the label says 6 month control, nothing over the counter lasts that long. Most pesticides you can get repel more that kill so treat the exterior foundation. And please read the label. Keep it safe. More is NOT better.
It depends on the size of the home, but it shouldn't cost more than any other Insect treatment. Some Pest Control Companies charge more simply because you can find Carpenter Ant Damage. Do your research and ask questions.
Rhode Island Carpenter Ants vary in size and color but are usually large (1/4-5/8 inch) and blackish. Occasionally, swarms of winged carpenter ant reproductives will emerge inside a home. Carpenter Ant Swarms usually occur in the spring and are a sure sign that a colony is nesting somewhere inside the structure. Besides being objectionable by their presence, Carpenter Ants Damage Wood by hollowing it out for nesting. They excavate galleries in wood which have a smooth, sandpapered appearance. Wood which has been damaged by carpenter ants contains no mud-like material, as is the case with termites. Shredded fragments of wood, similar in appearance to coarse sawdust, are ejected from the galleries through preexisting cracks or slits made by the ants. When such accumulations are found sometimes containing dead ants and bits of insects which the carpenter ants have eaten, it's a good indication that a carpenter ant nest is nearby. Oftentimes, however, the excavated sawdust remains hidden behind a wall or in some other concealed area. Carpenter Ants nest in both moist and dry wood, but prefer wood which is moist. Consequently, the nests are more likely to be found in wood dampened by water leaks, such as around sinks, bathtubs, poorly sealed windows/ door frames, roof leaks and poorly flashed chimneys. Nests are especially common in moist, hollow spaces such as the wall void behind a dishwasher, or in a hollow porch column. There will often be no external signs of damage. Carpenter Ants may establish nests in a number of different locations. It is important to realize that these locations can be either inside or outside the structure. Carpenter Ants actually construct two different kinds of nests; parent colonies which, when mature, contain an egg-laying queen, brood and 2000 or more worker ants, and satellite colonies which may have large numbers of worker ants but no queen, eggs or young larvae. The carpenter ants inside a home may have originated from the parent colony or from one or more satellite nests. For example, the ants may be coming from the parent nest located outdoors in a tree stump, landscape timber or woodpile, or from one or more satellite nests hidden behind a wall in the kitchen or bathroom, or perhaps from wood dampened by a roof leak in the attic. The extent and potential damage to a home depends on how many nests are actually present within the structure, and how long the infestation has been active. Although large carpenter ant colonies are capable of causing structural damage, the damage is not normally as serious as that from termites. In some cases, the damage may be relatively insignificant, but this can only be determined by locating and exposing the nest area.
