Carpenter Ants

- Large black ants (up to 1/2 inch) seen foraging at dusk or night. - Sawdust-like frass or tiny wood shavings near baseboards, windows or door frames. - Rustling or faint movement sounds in wall voids or attic spaces. - Trails of workers on porches, eaves, or along tree trunks near the house.

Locate and treat parent colony with residual dust or non-repellent liquid; address moisture source driving infestation; perimeter bait application for outdoor forager control. Local control focuses on locating and treating the parent colony with targeted dusts or residuals, perimeter baiting for foragers, and repairing the moisture source driving the infestation.

• 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.
• Trim tree limbs and shrubs away from rooflines and siding to limit ant bridges on hilltop and ridge properties.
• Repair roof leaks, replace rotted fascia or soffits, and keep attic ventilation clear.
• Store firewood off the ground and away from the exterior—especially important for properties near the French Broad River.
• Remove stacked debris and dense leaf litter against foundations on shaded north‑facing slopes.
• Seal utility penetrations and gaps around windows and doors to reduce entry points.

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 frequently reported around Asheville, particularly in shady, moisture‑ridden yards, older homes with roof leaks, and properties adjacent to wooded slopes.