Carpenter ants are among the largest ants you’ll see indoors. Unlike termites, they don’t eat wood — they excavate it to build smooth galleries for their nests, favoring wood that is damp, decayed, or near a moisture source.
Left unchecked, an established colony and its satellite nests can cause real structural damage. Correct identification and treatment of the parent colony are essential.
How to identify
- Large ants, roughly 1/4 to 1/2 inch, usually black
- Single node and evenly rounded thorax
- Often seen at night, foraging far from the nest
Signs of an infestation
- Coarse sawdust-like shavings (frass) below wood
- Smooth galleries inside damp or damaged wood
- Faint rustling sounds inside walls
- Large winged swarmers indoors in spring and summer months
Risks & concerns
- Structural damage to framing, trim, and decks
- Indicates an underlying moisture problem
How we treat carpenter ants
We trace activity to the parent and satellite nests, treat the colony directly, and identify the moisture conditions that attracted them so the problem doesn’t recur.
Frequently asked questions
Locating and treating the parent colony — not just the ants you see foraging — is essential, since surface sprays alone often just scatter a colony into satellite nests. We trace activity back to the nest, treat it directly, and identify the moisture problem that attracted it.
No — carpenter ants and termites are different pests with different signs. Carpenter ants excavate smooth galleries in wood (they don’t eat it), while termites leave mud tubes and eat wood pulp. Both point to a moisture issue worth addressing.
We treat throughout the interior and exterior of your home. This way, no matter where the ants are going for food, water and other resources, they are contacting the products and we are getting their death rate higher than their birth rate, eliminating them over time.
Carpenter Ants control
Get rid of carpenter ants for good
Call or text to find the best solution for your pest problem. Appointments are typically available within 24 hours.