Carpenter ants are insects that can cause incredible amounts of damage to wooden structures. While you may be most worried about having the pests in the recesses of your home, you should also be concerned about the trees on your property. A carpenter ant infestation in a tree has a negative impact on the health of the tree and needs to be addressed immediately. Below is some helpful information about carpenter ants and trees, as well as how Truly Nolen in Guelph can help with carpenter ant removal services.
Do Carpenter Ants Live in Trees?
Carpenter ants are similar to termites in that they can live in any wooden structure. Unlike termites, however, carpenter ants don’t eat wood. They dig holes in wood to create tunnels. Trees make a great home for carpenter ants, especially older trees with soft wood.
What Attracts Carpenter Ants to Trees?
Carpenter ants throve in moist, humid environments, so trees are the perfect place for the pests to build nests. The insects always have a main nest that houses the queen and eggs. As the colony grows and begins to overtake the tree, it branches out to include smaller satellite nests. A single tree can hold several nests, and it’s important to target them all if you want to save your tree.
Can Carpenter Ants Damage Trees?
Carpenter ants can cause significant damage to trees, but they don’t build nests in healthy trees. The pests take advantage of wood that is already decaying due to age, disease or other insects. The intricate web of tunnels they dig can weaken trees and cause them to fall, but carpenter ants are not a threat to healthy trees. You only need to worry about the pests if you have old or diseased trees on our property.
How Can You Prevent a Tree From Being Infested With Carpenter Ants?
The best way to keep carpenter ants off of your property is to make sure all of your trees are healthy. If you have any trees that are obviously old or diseased it’s best to cut them down before pests can build nests. Because carpenter ants only colonize trees that are already damaged they are no threat to young, healthy trees.
You may extend the lifetime of your tree by getting rid of carpenter ant nests. However, the pests only target trees that are already damaged, so you may need to enlist the help of an arborist to resolve the cause of the tree’s damage if you want to save it. Some trees are too severely damaged to be saved and should be destroyed to deter carpenter ants from your property.
What Should You Do If You Find Carpenter Ants in a Tree?
If you find carpenter ants in a tree on your property, you can use insecticides to kill the pests. However, it usually takes multiple applications to eliminate the main nest, and if you don’t get rid of all of the nests, you’ll still have a pest problem. It’s best to trust a professional to help you get rid of carpenter ants. At Truly Nolen, we know how to get rid of the pests completely. We locate every nest and use state-of-the-art chemicals to eliminate the pests and prevent them from returning.
Contact a Professional for Help
If you have carpenter ants in a tree on your property, it’s important to take quick action. DIY solutions rarely resolve the issue, so it’s best to contact a professional. The technicians at Truly Nolen in Guelph are experienced with carpenter ant pest control. We have the tools and skills necessary to save your trees from carpenter ants, so contact us today for pest control in Guelph.