More homeowners are calling us about carpenter ants as the weather warms and the ants become more active. Sometimes carpenter ants have been causing damage for years before a homeowner becomes aware of them and phones for help.

Besides finding damaged wood, there are many other signs of carpenter ants to watch for. From spring to early summer winged ants appear indoors. That's a definite sign of problems. The winged ants, called swarmers, are the queens and kings that will mate and start new colonies. If they appear indoors they are coming from a main or satellite nest. They are attracted to windows and other light sources, so you might discover these winged ants, or their cast-off wings, on window sills.

Small piles of debris are another sign of a carpenter ant problem. Worker ants constantly enlarge the galleries where the ants live, and especially like to hollow out softer or decaying portions of wood. From tiny holes or cracks within their nests the ants push out the sawdust they produce, plus dead ants and other debris.

At night sometimes carpenter ants make faint rustling noises that can be heard through the walls.

Carpenter ant workers searching for food indoors or around your home is a cause for alarm, but it does not necessarily mean there is a nest already indoors. The main nest, plus the satellite nests, can be inside or outside, or some located inside and others outside.

Call us if you suspect or find carpenter ants in or around your home. We are experts at finding their nests and preventing these pests from causing serious damage to your home.