Pest Inspections in Chelan County 

It's that time of year when performing pest inspections in Chelan County to look for Carpenter Ants.

Most carpenter ant establish their first nests in decayed wood and later expand or enlarge this into sound wood. The main/parent colony will normally be located outside. A trail between the parent and satellite colony nest is usually about 1/4-13/16" wide and is kept clear of vegetation and debris. It usually follows contours but typically will cut across lawns. Although some workers are active during the day, most activity is from dusk till dawn, with peak activity between 10 pm and 2 am.

The workers can forage for distances of up to 300 feet from the nest. They typically enter buildings around door and window frames, eaves, plumbing and utility lines, and shrub and tree branches in contact with the building.

Outside, nests are typically located in rotting fence posts, stumps, old firewood, dead portions of standing trees, and under stones or fallen logs.

Inside, nests are located in wood preferably wood softened by fungus rot, in insulation, and/or in wall voids. Workers can be a nuisance when out searching for food. They are destructive to structural wood utilized for nesting activities. The presence of a carpenter ant nest is sometimes indicated by a rustling sound coming from wall voids or from wood where the colony is located. Otherwise, the emergence of swarmers (alates) indoors may be the first indication of an indoor colony.

Carpenter ants feed primarily on insect honeydew, plant and fruit juices, insects, and other arthropods. Inside, they will also feed on sweets, eggs, meats, cakes, and grease.

When I perform pest inspections in Chelan County I suggest keeping vegetation at least one foot from the home and wood debris away from your home. This is a good measure to help control carpenter ant intrusion.

Contact NCW Home Inspections, LLC for all your home and pest inspection needs.