As a homeowner in Toronto, you probably already know that ants are among the most persistent and resilient insects. Once they invade your property, it can be quite difficult to remove them. One species, the carpenter ant, can cause considerable damage to your home. We at Truly Nolen can assist you with carpenter ant removal in Toronto and provide you with a few surprising facts about these enterprising insects.

1. Males Die Soon After Mating 

Male carpenter ants have little to do with the development of a colony beyond the mating stage. In the spring, flying male ants mate with winged females, who then drop their wings soon after the male fertilizes their eggs.

Once mating is complete, female carpenter ants fly off to establish new colonies, and the males die soon after. Once an ant queen finds a suitable place to lay her eggs, she will shed her wings and use them for food while she raises her first brood of young ants.

2. Carpenter Ants Damage Wood Quickly 

Female carpenter ants will search for damaged or softwood, where they will chew their way into a crevice and lay their eggs. As she lays more eggs and the number of ants in the colony increases, the workers will chew into the wood and move the fibres around to make other nests nearby.

Carpenter ants get their name from their ability to invade and destroy almost any type of wood, which means they can damage almost any wood structure or area of your home. This includes support beams, steps, decks and even wooden furniture. The softer the wood type, the easier it is for carpenter ants to make their homes.

3. Carpenter Ants Prefer Wet Wood 

You may experience a carpenter ant infestation during the start of the summer when rain chances in the area climb and make wet wood an inviting home for these insects. Wet wood makes it easier for ants to chew into the fibres, which can put the foundation of your home at risk.

Once carpenter ants chew into wet wood and begin to expand and establish the colony, removing them on your own with store-bought chemicals or poison granules can be difficult because while you may be able to spray visible specimens, there are likely thousands more inside the wood that you cannot see. This makes the battle to completely eradicate the colony a difficult one.

We Can Help With Carpenter Ant Removal 

Our experienced technicians can provide you with complete pest control services that can help resolve your carpenter ant problems. Once you call us, our techs will inspect your property and verify the presence of these insects and then walk you through a plan to remove them. They will treat affected areas in a way that discourages ants from returning and provide you with tips and techniques that may prevent new colonies from forming.

Carpenter ants can invade the interior of your home, which puts wooden cupboards, trimming and baseboards at risk. Sealing up cracks and crevices, storing food properly and keeping firewood covered and off the ground may encourage carpenter ants to build elsewhere. If you have pets, store their food in air-tight plastic containers and do not allow kibble or wet food to sit out, as the smell may attract these ants and give them a reason to invade your home. Inspect your property’s trees, especially those with branches that overhang your roof, for signs of rotting that may attract carpenter ants.

You can protect your Toronto home from carpenter ants by contacting us at Truly Nolen and scheduling a home inspection as soon as possible. Our treatment services can kick these unwanted invaders to the curb and help you protect your home and family.