How to recognise them
Carpenter ants are much bigger than the small ants found in kitchens. They are often black, sometimes black and red, and most active in the evening and at night. In spring, winged ants appearing inside the chalet are a common sign that a colony is established in the structure.
Signs of a colony in the wood
- Small piles of fine sawdust, sometimes mixed with insect parts, at the foot of a beam or skirting board.
- Ants always coming out of the same spot: a crack, a panelling joint, a window frame.
- A faint rustling in a wall at night with a large colony.
- Winged ants indoors in spring.
Why act
Unlike termites, carpenter ants don’t eat wood: they dig galleries in it to nest. They mainly choose damp or already damaged timber: a roof leak, condensation, the base of a wall, decking. Their presence is often a sign of a damp problem to fix. Left alone, they can extend their galleries year after year.
Treatment
- Find the main nest by following the ants, often in the evening.
- Place baits that workers carry back to the colony.
- Treat galleries and entry points in a targeted way.
- Find the source of damp to prevent a new colony.
Spraying a shop-bought insecticide on the ants you can see does not reach the nest and can scatter the colony. Every situation is different: I offer a free quote after a diagnosis.