Pest ID Learn about the pests that impact homes and businesses across Central Massachusetts.

Are Black Carpenter Ants In Your Home?

Carpenter Ants can be black or combination of red and black or red and brown. Workers vary in size and can range from ¼ to ½ inch and the queens range from 1/2 to 5/8ths. These ants are an important part of recycling and composting wood in their natural setting, but are destructive and unsettling when they invade our homes and businesses. Most carpenter ant queens start a nest in decayed or water-damaged wood that is softened by fungus. Normally, we find a major nest containing thousands of ants and smaller satellite colonies containing fewer ants. These satellite colonies can be found anywhere. The presence of winged ants (a swarming) indicates a mature colony close by.

Controlling Carpenter Ants

Our Pest Management Professionals are experts in eradicating carpenter ants. They will ask questions to try to deduce where the ants may have set up the primary nest. Their questions may include: Have you had any water leaks or water problems in general? How many ants do you see and in what area do you see the most? Do you see ants every spring or do you see any with wings?

Our professional will also look for conducive conditions such as mulch up against the foundation, excessive leaf litter, woodpiles and scrap wood, bushes and trees which touch the home and any earth-to-wood contact. Based on inspection, the way a technician proceeds in the service is based on his or her judgment.

If you are a do-it yourself person and continue to have ants yearly, you may be causing a small problem to become a big one. Contact us at (774) 418-4908 today to resolve your carpenter any problem!

Ants vs. Termites

Most homeowners see a cloud of swarming flying insects and immediately think they have a termite infestation. What they might not realize is they may be looking at flying ants. See the simple identifiers below to help determine what pest is bugging you.

Northeastern Subterranean termites are the main species of termite that affect our region of the country.

Termites have:

straight antennae
equal length wings
straight waist
2 body segments

Flying Ants have:

bent antennae
unequal length wings
pinched waist
3 body segments

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Call (774) 418-4908 or send the form and we will help you sort out pests, wildlife, or lawn concerns with a plan that fits your property. At Ford's Hometown Services, we treat your home or business with the care we use for our own.

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