how to get rid of florida carpenter ants

Carpenter Ant Identification in Florida

What Are Carpenter Ants?

If you ever see ants that look too big to be ants, or if you see flying ants, there’s a good possibility that they are Florida carpenter ants, one of the most common ants in Florida. Carpenter ants are large black or reddish-colored ants that nest in wood, indoors and outdoors.

Carpenter ant infestations can be frustrating, especially since they can be damaging to our furniture, home foundation, and the trees in our yards. If you find this kind of damage in your home, it’s a good indicator that carpenter ants are nesting in the damage, or nearby. The key to getting rid of a carpenter ant infestation is finding the ant nest.

How to Find a Carpenter Ant Nest

When you first attempt to get rid of a carpenter ant nest, the first thing you may try to do is follow a carpenter ant trail to the ant nest. You may consider their movement patterns and their pheromone trails. Carpenter ants use pheromone trails left by the rest of the colony to track down the colony and locate the nest.

If you suspect any potential carpenter nest areas, knock on the wood (no pun intended). If you hear a hollow sound, it’s a good indicator that it’s a carpenter ant nest. These could be indoors or outdoors.

Inside your home, it’s common to find carpenter ant nests in doors, windows, trim, and often inside walls. This makes it tricky to pinpoint the exact location of the nest; it’s usually where you'd struggle to find it.

In your yard, carpenter ants will nest in old trees, tree stumps, logs, and pretty much any other kind of rotting wood you have outside.

Another way to locate a carpenter ant nest is to look for frass (droppings). Take note that if you see frass in your home, it could also be a sign of termites. We recommend that you schedule a free termite inspection with Native Pest Management if you’re seeing frass in your home and aren't 100% sure it’s from carpenter ants.

If you know the frass is from termites, it’s a good indicator that a carpenter ant nest is near. The frass can contain wood debris, dead insect parts, soil, and gravel.

Water Sources For Carpenter Ants

You probably know by now that carpenter ants are drawn to wood for their shelter, but did you know they’re also drawn to water? All ants need water to survive, and you can find carpenter ants near water sources, including in the kitchen and bathroom. Usually, this will indicate an issue with your plumbing such as a leak.

If you find carpenter ants in these areas of water, we recommend that you get your plumbing checked for leaks. Not only will this help repel carpenter ants, but it'll also repel other common ants in Miami like ghost ants, pavement ants, and pharaoh ants.

Other water sources for carpenter ants are damp, rotting wood, or moist areas of your house. If you have a moisture issue, consider improving the ventilation in your home by turning your air conditioning to a cooler temperature, investing in a better air conditioner, and running fans.

Carpenter Ants vs. Termites

As previously mentioned, it’s important to distinguish between a carpenter ant infestation and a termite infestation. Carpenter ants, unlike termites, don’t eat wood— they nest in it. Termites are responsible for $5 billion in wood damage each year, making them the most costly pests.

If you have a termite infestation, the only solution is professional termite control. However, it's possible to get rid of a carpenter ant infestation without pest control. If you get rid of the source of the carpenter ants, the infestation will go away.

Carpenter ants and termites can both become swarmers (meaning they develop wings), and both species will only begin swarming after infesting a home for several years. If you find carpenter ant swarmers or termite swarmers in your home, we recommend you get in touch with Native Pest Management for help.

Ant Control For Florida Carpenter Ants

If you find that carpenter ants in your home just won’t go away, Native Pest Management’s carpenter ant control experts will locate the carpenter ant nest in your home. Once we find the nest, we'll get rid of it, which removes the source of the colony. From there, we'll remove the entire colony.

Native Pest Management has over 3,000 five star reviews, meaning we are a top rated pest control company in Florida, with office locations in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Port St. Lucie, and Tallahassee, FL. If you’re looking for the best ant control in Florida, look no further than Native Pest Management and you’ll no longer have to worry about carpenter ants infesting your home.

If you’d like more information about our carpenter ant services or if you’re ready to set up your first appointment, request a free quote today!