In the United States, carpenter ants are a serious problem, in particular, carpenter ants in the Camponotus species. In communities throughout New Jersey, the carpenter ants to watch out for are the black carpenter ants (Camponotus pennsylvannicus). If you notice large black ants crawling around near your property, or worse, inside your property, it is time to give a trusted pest control company a call. But, before those ants get into your home, there are a few things you can do to prevent carpenter ant damage from happening. Let's take a look at some tips and methodology you can apply this spring and summer to keep carpenter ants away.
Spring Carpenter Ant Prevention Tips
This is a wet time of year. Whether it’s from melting snow or rainfall, conditions are created that are attractive to all types of ants in New Jersey, including carpenter ants. In order to stem the flow of these large black ants into your home, here are a few prevention tips you can implement this spring.
- Be diligent about drying your foundation perimeter out as quickly as possible. Loosen soil, to allow the moisture to sink into the ground. Trim tree branches to let more sunlight in to dry the ground. If you've already trimmed your bushes and other landscaping, you should be on your way to having a dry perimeter.
- It is also important to keep the interior of your home dry. If carpenter ants find their way into a moist basement, you could be in trouble. Consider using dehumidifiers in your basement to dry things out down there and make that environment less inviting to carpenter ants and other moisture pests.
Summer Carpenter Ant Prevention Tips
As New Jersey transitions from spring to summer, carpenter ant activity continues to grow and if you’re not careful, these wood-destroying ants might become a significant problem in and around your home. Here are a few "general" tips for controlling carpenter ant populations.
- Do you have stumps? It is a good idea to have stumps removed. They can be a staging area for a home infestation. If a colony matures inside a stump, it will begin to send out winged female and male reproductives in search of a new location to build a nest. This will increase your chances of having an infestation in your home.
- Keep trash in sealed receptacles. While carpenter ants excavate in wood, they actually do not consume it like termites in New Jersey. Easily accessible trash cans are a great way to attract carpenter ants as well as other bugs and rodents.
- Fix leaky plumbing. If you have any leaking spigots or hoses, they can make the ground around your home damp and inviting to carpenter ants. You should also fix any appliances that are leaking inside.
- Water damaged wood is highly attractive to carpenter ants. If you have water damaged wood in a fence, shed, porch, deck, or some other structure, consider replacing it. To prevent this problem, consider sealing or staining wood surfaces that could be affected by weather.
- Consider swapping out wood borders around gardens, flower beds, and other landscaping. Stonework is a great looking alternative that cannot be infiltrated by these destructive ants or become rotted by water.
Arrow Offers Carpenter Ant Control In NJ
The best way to prevent carpenter ant infestations in your home is to sign up for a home pest control plan that includes coverage for carpenter ants. At Arrow Pest Control, we’ve been keeping carpenter ants and other household pests out of homes in Montclair, Woodbridge, and West Orange and throughout our New Jersey service area for over 45 years. We’re really good at getting rid of carpenter ants and stopping them before they get inside.
Home Protection Program Plus
This program includes everything from the Home Protection Program - PLUS carpenter ant control and our termite monitoring advantage. Arrow will install a passive subterranean termite monitoring system at critical or conducive areas along the exterior perimeter foundation of your home. This system will include up to 4 in-ground subterranean termite monitoring stations. These stations will be serviced and inspected as part of your routine service.
Should the monitors indicate termite activity or termites occur within the home, Arrow will provide you with a termite treatment proposal at a 50% discounted rate, and you will be upgraded to Arrow Premier at the current prevailing rate.
- Is a year-round program that provides full interior and exterior service.
- Service includes a one-time interior service per year and two exterior treatments.
- Covers your entire property* including the attic, mailbox, playset, shed, and fence.
- Termite monitoring advantage
Pests targeted with Arrow’s Home Protection Program Plus includes all the pests included in the Home Protection Program PLUS carpenter ants, pharaoh ants, and acrobat ants.
*If you have a pool house that requires service, pricing would increase based upon the size of the structure.
*Termite monitoring advantage is not applicable in over-55 communities
or call now (732) 844-8640
