If you are looking for a professional pest solution to get rid of those big black ants that have taken over your Austin home, call the experts on carpenter ants control at Magic Pest and Lawn. No two species of ants are alike, and due to their ability to multiply quickly, carpenter ants can become quite a tricky pest to get rid of on your own. Magic Pest and Lawn has the innovative, safest pest control treatments on the market. We can eliminate carpenter ants in and around your Austin property in a way that’s affordable, eco-friendly, and effective.

What Do Carpenter Ants Look Like?

Carpenter ants are the largest ant species, however, their size can vary depending on whether the ant is a male, female, or a queen. Most adult carpenter ants can measure from 1/4 to 1/2 inches in length, while queens can be up to almost ¾ of an inch or more. Carpenter ants are most commonly a dull black or dark brown, and sometimes have a reddish thorax. There are both red and black carpenter ants, but all species have transparent or light brown wings that develop once the carpenter ant reaches maturity.

Do Carpenter Ants Bite?

Both red and black carpenter ants do bite in defense, but they are certainly not as aggressive as fire ants. Carpenter ants are very large, so a bite can potentially cause pain, and they also spray a chemical called formic acid when threatened. Red and Black Carpenter ants are generally not physically dangerous to humans, but can be a painful nuisance to your pets and seriously damage your home or landscaping if not taken care of by pest control professionals.

Do I Have Carpenter Ants?

If you’ve determined you have an ant infestation and need professional ant control services, it is helpful to know what type of ants you are dealing with. Carpenter ants, specifically the Black Carpenter Ant, are a very familiar ant species found across Texas and the United States. A carpenter ant builds its colony, or nest, within any type of wood, which can include your firewood, landscaping, stumps, or any cracks in your home that contain a moist, wood source. Since carpenter ants need a water source to survive, if you notice that there are rotting, damp wood sources in or around your home, you are in danger of a carpenter ant infestation. The key to spotting a carpenter ant infestation is to look for piles of wood shavings or the appearance of winged black ants coming from cracks or cervices in your home.

Carpenter Ant Control & Carpenter Ant Prevention

Late spring or fall is the prime season for winged carpenter ants in Austin. These pests enjoy making their nests in moist areas of rotting, decayed wood, and can be drawn to sweet foods, meats, and other food or beverage items that might be left out in your home. Because carpenter ants are nocturnal, they might not be spotted right away. To prevent carpenter ants from invading your Austin home, it’s important to check in areas that can experience moisture issues, such as attics, sheds, plumbing and utility closets, woodpiles, cracks in ceilings or floors, and basements. If you have a carpenter ant problem, professional carpenter ant control is necessary to ensure that the entire infestation is eliminated before there is serious structural damage to your home.  Magic Pest and Lawn’s ant control services include industry-leading pest control technology to address any ant control issues and find carpenter ant colonies that you might never have noticed before!

To further aid in carpenter ant treatment and prevention in your Austin home, call the pest control team at Magic Pest and Lawn today!