Rid your home of carpenter ants for good with our specialty services for wood destroying insects.
Discovering even a few carpenter ants in your home is cause for alarm. An infestation can be subtle with unnoticed ants eating away at the inside of your home. The damage carpenter ants can do increases dramatically over time and structural repairs to your house are costly if left unchecked. Early treatment is essential to getting control of the problem.
DIY methods are usually temporary, ineffective fixes that cause a colony to simply change location within the structure, break apart into multiple satellite colonies, or even force the ants into areas that are actually more difficult to reach and treat. In short, the problem can be made worse without thorough, professional attention.
If you suspect a carpenter ant or wood ant colony near or within your home, donโt hesitate to have a professional inspection. Bug Zapper specializes in all types of ant extermination, eliminating the pesky insects even when other companies canโt. Our proven methods and industry expertise make sure that pests are eliminated cleanly and efficiently, and all our services come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Let our team of highly knowledgeable technicians put your mind at ease with our famous customer care and expert results.
Choosing an ant control service for your home comes with many questions. When you’re ready to learn more, call our office and talk with our friendly staff. Weโll ensure you get the answers you need on our services, pricing, appointments and any other questions you may have.
What do you use to eliminate ants?
As licensed pest control applicators we are permitted to use products that are far more effective than Terro and other products found at hardware stores. Many do-it-yourself products sold in stores actually make ant infestations worse. They contain repellent active ingredients that can cause budding where ant colonies divide and often result in even worse infestations. The professional ant control products our technicians use are professional grade and undetectable by ants. We take a multi-tier approach to ant control. This will include an inspection to fully understand the type of ant and the best treatment methods which may include soil barrier treatments outside and treating indoors with baits and direct application using liquids and dusts. In addition to our treatments, we work with you to address any attractants in and around the home, to prevent ants by managing moisture issues inside, trimming trees and bushes away from the home, and moving any harborage away from the home.
What types of ants do you treat?
We provide effective treatment for all varieties of ants in Oregon. We specialize in identifying and treating Argentine ants, Carpenter ants, Odorous House ants, Pavement ants and Velvety tree ants. Each of these are unique and requires a specific approach to treatment and eradication.
What types of training do your technicians go through?
We are committed to providing you with knowledgeable, experienced technicians with a high level of technical expertise. Each of our technicians is fully licensed and certified in Oregon, in addition to undergoing advanced training though our internal apprenticeship training program. All technicians complete state testing for laws and safety, including IIHS General, IIHS Structural, and Agricultural Vertebrate tests before going through a month-long apprenticeship field training program. Our staff regularly completes ongoing advanced training and attends industry-based seminars. We are fortunate to have an Associate Certified Entomologist (ACE) on our staff – one of 12 in the whole state of Oregon currently.
Do you have same day service?
Same day service is available. We pride ourselves on fast response times and timely service appointments. We make every effort to prioritize your needs and to offer same day appointments when available. A technician can be at your home in most cases within 24-48 hrs. Call our office and we will gladly work with your schedule and time.
What are carpenter ants?
Carpenter ants are a type of ant commonly found in many forested parts of the world. They build their nests inside of trees and wooden structures, and are fond of damp or humid environments. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood, but merely chew through the grain as a means of constructing their homes. This process aids in forest decomposition and replenishment, but is also a major cause of costly structural damage in human dwellings. Carpenter ants comprise a wide variety of ant species, but generally have a much larger body than their black ant cousins. Carpenter ant workers are wingless, but the swarmers of the colony will possess two sets of distinctive wings.
How did carpenter ants get into my home?
Carpenter ants are indigenous to forests and forested areas. A colony may have โmoved-inโ to your house or apartment from another location — a woodpile, a neighborโs home, or a forestland, for example — or the ant colony may have โgrown upโ in you home, transforming from single queen to full-blown infestation over a period of several seasons.
A fully-functioning, mature colony can take years to develop within a structure, and may go unnoticed until people finally encounter them. This means that the infestation can do a lot of damage long before itโs even detected. While sanitation and physical measures are strong methods of deterring a potential infestation, these often end up taking place too late, after ant reproduction has already begun the process of expanding the colony throughout the structure. The best method for managing a current infestation or growing colony is by contacting a professional who can put together an integrated solution plan to locate and eliminate all colonies and nests on a given property.
What are the best ways to manage an infestation?
If you suspect that you have carpenter ants in your home, it is important to hire a qualified pest control company that can do an inspection and assessment. They will provide a plan to treat the ant problem, identify potential moisture problems and to conduct preventive measures aimed at ant-proofing your home and yard. An important consideration is that over the counter ant baits are largely ineffective against the carpenter ants in the Northwest.
Where will carpenter ants be found in my home?
Indoor infestations can be tricky to manage. Carpenter Ants can nest in a variety of hollow and hidden areas. They can be found in decayed wood, within walls, in insulation near wood, behind cabinets and baseboards, or any other hollow area conducive to their foraging. Due to their affinity for damp spaces, they can also be found beneath kitchens and bathrooms, or other areas where moisture can accumulate in your home. Control of indoor infestations requires thorough inspection of the structure and a knowledge of its specific materials and layout.
Carpenter ants tend to prefer nocturnal foraging schedules, and though it is not uncommon for them to forage in groups, typically they prefer to forage individually — making them more difficult to notice in the home or on your property. Infestations may be noticed by observing small piles of sawdust-like material or tunnels through wooden structures (both left behind by the antsโ construction efforts).
Carpenter ant colonies can cause significant structural damage to a home in mere months, so any suspected activity should be dealt with immediately.
Do I Need to Vacate My Home During Treatment?
In general, the products we use have minimal odor, and you are not required to leave your home or office during the treatment.
Meet Your Carpenter Ant Professional
Associate Certified Entomologist, Jonathan Najera A.C.E holds advanced studies in entomology and specializes in ants. As a Technical Director he is responsible for overseeing training and education of technicians in the behavior, prevention and eradication of carpenter ants in residential homes.
Our goal is to kill carpenter ants quickly while providing premium quality service. We take great care to protect your family, pets, and home. In preparation for your first service appointment please help us with the following details:
Preparation Checklist
You do not need to move your furniture away from walls; the commercial grade products used by our technicians are remarkably effective and do not require you to move large furniture items.
All open food should be covered or stored.
Both indoor and outdoor pet food and water dishes should be covered or stored.
Children, pets and adults should avoid contacting wet product applied by your technician until it is completely dry.
Gather and cover children’s toys in the area to be treated.
As an extra precaution after service we recommend counters, utensils, and eating surfaces be wiped down.
If You Have Pets
Our technicians are highly trained to apply products in the most responsible manner, limiting risk to families and loved ones. Please follow these guidelines to help protect your pets:
Pets should avoid contacting wet product applied by your technician until the treatment is completely dry (usually 15-30 minutes). This may best be accomplished by confining pets to one room or outside while the rest of your home is treated and until applied products are completely dry.
Fish, reptile and insect terrarium tanks should be covered with a towel and aerators turned off during treatment.
Exceptional Value and Service
Looking for a better pest control experience? Our commitment to quality, satisfaction and service ensures you get the most value from your choice in pest services.