How Do I Know if I Have Carpenter Ants in Tappan, NY?

Carpenter ants are one of the most destructive pests in the Northeast. Industrious, resilient, and persistent, they’ll cause significant damage to your home before you realize anything is wrong. 

Unlike termites, they don’t consume wood as food, but instead, they excavate it to create smooth-walled nesting galleries. And they do so quietly and more quickly than you’d think. They love moist, damp environments that are often present in older homes. And with mature trees and many wooded lots in Rockland County, it’s the perfect conditions for carpenter ants to build their next nest. 

The signs of carpenter ants can be subtle and difficult to find if you don’t know what to look for. Learning the signs can help you catch the problem before it becomes expensive. 

Sign 1 - Sawdust-Like Frass

Carpenter ants are hard at work as they destroy the structural wood of your home. So, if you have them around, you’ll find evidence of their work. Small piles of fine, sawdust-like debris collect near baseboards, window frames, or any other structural wood. Unlike actual sawdust, carpenter ant frass often contains small fragments of insulation and other debris. The ants push this material out of their galleries as they work. So, take a peek near these areas regularly, especially in spring when colonies become more active. 

Sign 2 - Large Black Ants Indoors

Carpenter ants are larger than common house ants (noticeably so). The typical worker ant is anywhere from ¼ to ½ inches long, with queens being significantly larger. And seeing them indoors during the spring and summer can be a bit concerning. It means that a nest is likely established nearby and that the colony is large enough to look around the rest of your property for other signs of them. Carpenter ants forage primarily at night, so spotting them during the day is another sign of a thriving, well-established colony. 

Sign 3 - Rustling Sounds in Walls

In quiet moments (especially the early morning or late at night), carpenter ants are hard at work. So, if you ever hear a faint rustling or crunching sound that you hear consistently and in a specific area, it’s worth investigating. They are quietly excavating your wood structures, causing weaknesses that get worse by the day. And as the colony grows, this noise will become louder and louder. So, if you hear this often and on the same wall or ceiling, it probably isn’t your house settling. 

Winged Ants Emerging Indoors

While seeing a few worker ants nearby can be concerning, seeing winged ants emerging inside your home means a carpenter ant colony is thriving. It’s a late-stage sign that shows they’ve been excavating a wood structure for a while, and now they’re ready to expand. Meaning, if you let them, they will just keep finding more wood in your home to nest in. 

Get Help With Carpenter Ants and Call Mosquito Squad of Southern Westchester 

Have you seen any of these carpenter ant signs in your home? If so, they’re likely drawn to the moist, damp conditions near your home. They love damp or decaying wood to build their nests. Leaky roofs, condensation in walls, and damp basements are perfect homes for carpenter ants. So, addressing the moisture problem is the first step. 

Then, to keep them away, Mosquito Squad’s Home Shield targets the foundation, eaves, and entry points where carpenter ants enter and start nesting. Combine this with our ant control treatment, and you’ll keep carpenter ant pressure at bay (and your peace of mind). 

Seeing signs of carpenter ants in your Tappan home? Call Mosquito Squad of Southern Westchester at (914) 533-1159 or contact us online for a free quote.