It’s no wonder that carpenter ants can make their presence felt quickly and over a long period. Breeding occurs between March and July, and typically each fertilized female lays 20 eggs in 15 days. The three stages from egg to larvae to pupal takes about 22 days, or 66 days total to adult, in 70 to 90 degree temperatures. If it is cooler, it could take ten months. This new colony does not produce swarmers until about three years later, and typically there are 2000 to 4000 ants over the next 3 to 6 years.

It is quite a sobering thought to realize how quickly a home can be overrun with ants, and just when you think you may have eradicated the problem, the colony can be growing geometrically, hidden in your walls.

The best way to prevent carpenter ant infestation is to watch for nests or swarms in moist or dry wood. Favorite locations include steps, porch supports, siding, seepage from plugged drain gutters, chimney flashing, wooden shingle roofs, hollow porch posts, columns, leaking window and door frames, window boxes, crawl spaces, pipes, poor pitch of porch roofs, flat deck porch roofs, under porches, attics. Indoor dry locations include doors, door casings, curtain rods, false beams, or under insulation in attics.

Family members may observe ants by seeing them or hearing them. An active colony may produce a distinct, dry rustling sound, like the crinkling of cellophane. Or you may need to set sugar traps and tape to discover their entrance points. A nest cavity has a hollow ring, and can be easily penetrated by a knife blade if the wood is infested. A household aerosol spray, containing pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide, applied directly into cracks, crevices or holes, will cause ants to emerge, revealing their nest.

Applying insecticides to eradicate the problem are best left for the professionals, who are experienced in preserving the integrity and foundation of your home. Preventative measures include trimming tree branches and removing stumps, and repairing rotted or water-damaged wood, and sealing cracks and crevices in the home’s foundation, especially near outside utility pipes and wiring.