Carpenter Ants

- Large black ants (1/4–1/2 inch) seen foraging along baseboards or window sills - Rustling or scraping sounds in wall voids at night - Sawdust-like frass (wood shavings) under eaves, window frames, or inside wall cracks - Winged alates (ants with wings) during spring dispersal flights

Locate and treat parent colony with residual dust or non-repellent liquid; address moisture source driving infestation; perimeter bait application for outdoor forager control. Our local approach locates and treats the parent colony (often in damp stumps, roof eaves, or wall voids) with targeted dusts or non-repellent liquids, combined with perimeter baiting and repair of the moisture source.

• Eliminate moisture issues — repair roof leaks, condensation, and plumbing drips promptly.
• Trim tree branches and shrubs away from rooflines and siding.
• Store firewood off the ground and away from the house exterior.
• Seal exterior gaps, utility penetrations, and door/window frames with caulk.
• Replace any rotted or water-damaged wood before ants establish galleries.
• Repair roof leaks, plumbing drips, and condensation problems promptly
• Trim tree limbs and heavy vegetation away from siding and rooflines
• Store firewood up off the ground and well away from the home
• Replace rotted wood and seal gaps around utility penetrations and windows
• Keep gutters clear so water doesn’t pool near foundations on shaded, fog-prone slopes

Moist or decayed wood in wall voids, roof eaves, window frames, and hollow doors; satellite colonies often located in dry structural wood adjacent to a moisture-damaged parent colony outdoors.

Carpenter ants are common around Asheville’s wooded lots and older homes with moisture-damaged wood. We see them frequently in homes that border forested slopes and in properties with historic trim and porches.