At Adam’s Pest Control, we employ some very educated people who could very easily talk your ear off about carpenter ants. But let’s be honest; you don’t really need to know how many species of carpenter ant there are in the world or that they are in the genus camponotus and subfamily formicinae. What you need to know most is how to keep these ants from damaging your home. So we’ve put together this quick list of important facts to help you.
What You Need To Know About Carpenter Ants:
Carpenter ants are one of the most common and destructive wood-infesting pests in Minnesota. Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood—they hollow it out to build nests, which can severely weaken the structural integrity of your home over time.
How to Identify Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are larger than most other ants, typically black or dark red in color, and range from ¼ to ½ inch long. You may see them trailing along walls, windowsills, or foundation edges—especially in the evening, as they are more active at night. Winged carpenter ants (swarmers) are often mistaken for termites but can be identified by their elbowed antennae and narrow waists.
Signs of an Infestation
- Rustling sounds inside walls or wood
- Piles of wood shavings (called frass)
- Spotting large ants indoors, especially near kitchens or bathrooms
- Winged ants emerging indoors in spring or summer
Why They’re a Problem
Carpenter ants don’t eat wood, but they excavate it to create galleries and nesting tunnels. Left untreated, this can lead to expensive damage—especially if they establish satellite nests inside wall voids or crawlspaces.
How to Get Rid of Them
Effective carpenter ant control starts with proper identification and inspection. Adam’s Pest Control uses non-repellent treatments that eliminate ants at the source and help prevent re-infestation. We also identify and address the conditions attracting them, such as moisture, rotting wood, or tree branches touching the home.
If you find carpenter ants inside your home, here is another fact you should know… Adam’s Pest Control services the greater Minneapolis area and a large portion of Minnesota with advanced, QualityPro – and GreenPro – certified pest control. You don’t have to let carpenter ants eat away at your equity. Get pest control you can trust, from Adam’s Pest Control.
