| Carpenter Ants |
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| Size: |
1/4 to 3/4 inches
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| Colour: |
Black or brown to reddish
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| Food: |
Other insects, aphid honeydew or anything sweet.
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| Nest: |
Prefer
water-damaged wood. Insulation, foam and other hollow cavities. Homes
are not usually the main nest. These nests are called satellite
nests.
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| Activity
period: |
Most active at night but can also been seen in the day.
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| Queen Ant: |
Normally one queen. Queen usually lives in the main nest. The main nest is usually found outside.
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| Reproductive Ant: |
Their
job is to mate and look for new nest sites. It takes 3 to 6 years to
fully mature with 400 to 600 reproductive ants produced per year. Ants
swarm in the spring with as many as 2,000 or more depending on size of
colony.
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Foraging Ant:
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Their job is to look for food. They will travel 100 yards or more if necessary to find a sufficient food source.
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| Treatment: |
Combination
of treatments. Dusting with a powdered chemical to entry points, cracks
and crevices, spray the perimeter of home and the ant’s travel
areas, and aerosol treatment to nesting locations. Baits are available
and are also used. Changing their environment will cause stress among
the colony.
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