Garage Plagued by Carpenter Ants in Manasquan, NJ
Challenge
While cleaning out his garage, this homeowner in Manasquan, NJ noticed the wooden beam by his garage door seemed to be "hollowed" and "chewed out." Terrified that he might have termites, he called Cowleys for help!
I arrived and began investigating the damaged area. As I was prodding around, I came across a massive colony of winged carpenter ants! I told the homeowner, who was glad that he didn't have termites, but concerned about the damage carpenter ants can inflict. Carpenter ants are wood-destroying insects that actually excavate wood in order to build their nests. They typically build their nests inside water-damaged or decaying wood that they can easily excavate. In doing so, if not immediately and properly handled, they can cause extensive damage to the structure of the home.
Solution
First, I treated the damaged area with an aerosol product that'll flush the ants out of hiding and rapidly eliminate them. Once I finished, I then treated the area with a residual dusting application. Lastly, I treated the garage and the exterior perimeter of the home with a liquid residual.
The carpenter ants will come in contact with either of these residuals, bring them back to their colony, and, unknowingly, spread these treatments throughout their nest. In a short amount of time, they are eliminated. Once the ants are gone from the property, the homeowner will hire a contractor to repair the area above his garage door.
