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Identifying and Managing Carpenter Ant Infestations

Identifying and Managing Carpenter Ant Infestations

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In this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, Travis McGowin and Michael Wienecke dive deep into the world of carpenter ants, the “other” wood-destroying insect that can cause significant, often undetected damage to a home. The team discusses how these pests differ from termites, highlighting their tendency to gnaw on wood for nesting rather than food. Through engaging stories—including a “detective” case in Prattville involving sawdust in a bathroom and a cautionary tale about a tree collapsing due to structural compromise—they explain the signs of an infestation and the importance of home maintenance. You’ll also learn about the fascinating, “mutualistic” relationship between ants and aphids, and why Michael insists that the textbooks might be wrong about when these insects are most active. Like us on Facebook! Podcast Transcript:Introduction and Initial ReactionsTravis McGowin: How would you feel if you discovered that there was an insect essentially chewing on your house, other than termites?Michael Wienecke: I would be devastated and upset.Travis McGowin: Devastated and upset, those are your big emotions.Michael Wienecke: Distraught.Travis McGowin: Oh, distraught. Is there a difference between being distraught and devastated and upset?Michael Wienecke: Unnerved.Travis McGowin: We’re just going to pull out every descriptive word we can think of now.Michael Wienecke: No, but seriously, I mean, one of the biggest investments that I have, yes, I would be very upset and I would call Pesky’s Pest Control and be like, “Hey, get rid of this problem for me, whatever it is, whatever’s munching on my home.”Travis McGowin: You’re not biased at all to the company, are you?Michael Wienecke: No, not at all. Just saying, call a reputable company and let them come and evaluate.Identifying Carpenter AntsTravis McGowin: Well, so what I’m getting at here is a very specific insect, and the one I am currently referring to is the carpenter ant.Michael Wienecke: Yes, we have been seeing a ton of carpenter ants. I have a lot in my driveway right now, just crawling all around.Travis McGowin: You know, the interesting thing is that carpenter ants can go unnoticed for so long due to a couple of reasons. Obviously, they are gnawing on wood, and most of the time wood is going to be in a not-so-visible place inside your house—inside the walls, inside the attic, the framing, the studs, that sort of thing. So, they can go undetected for so long until the damage is so significant and the population is so large. But what are some signs that you might actually be dealing with carpenter ants?Signs of InfestationMichael Wienecke: Well, I was going to say, unless it’s a brick home, but you kept going, so…Travis McGowin: I stole your thunder, I’m sorry.Michael Wienecke: You stole my thunder. What are some signs? Well, the first sign would be carpenter ants, that would be the first sign. The second sign would be things getting kicked out of the baseboards or even little holes, sawdust, dead little insects, decapitated bodies, legs, antennae.Travis McGowin: Sounds like very violent little creatures.Michael Wienecke: Hey, they are clean little creatures, I will say that. They keep it smooth and they don’t want anything messing up their home.Travis McGowin: You know, the very interesting thing too, and I’m going to touch on what you said a second ago about obviously seeing carpenter ants, however, there’s one little fact that a lot of people don’t know or don’t realize as to why they might actually not physically see the carpenter ant itself. Can you guess why?Michael Wienecke: Is it because they are nocturnal?Travis McGowin: Absolutely.Michael Wienecke: Well, excuse me, hold on, they’re not nocturnal, that’s not the right thing to say. They feed in the nighttime, which is at night.Travis McGowin: Nocturnal is a very good…Michael Wienecke: Well, that’s not fair because I’ve got them in the daytime… I don’t know what’s the word.Travis McGowin: I mean, yeah, you’ll see an occasional carpenter ant out foraging around and doing things in the daytime, but the vast majority of them are going to be running around at night. That’s where a lot of times if you have looked and you’ve got some sort of damage obviously from an insect that destroys wood and you feel like it’s not a termite, then the time to really go out and scout is actually after dark.Michael Wienecke: I disagree with you 100% and I disagree with the book 100%. I think the best time to go out is early morning and late afternoon. I don’t think you need to go out that late. I’m just saying, that’s the one thing where I’m like, “The book’s got it wrong.”Travis McGowin: Questioning everything, Travis.Case Study: Prattville HomeTravis McGowin: Well, I will say that I have seen it both ways, actually. So, I had a customer over in the Prattville area that was obviously having ...
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