Buffalo Exterminating

Orchard Park, NY – It’s that time of year in Western New York. Birds are singing, lawns are greening, and carpenter ants are marching through homes and businesses in seemingly endless numbers.  According to John Zimmerman, general manager of Buffalo Exterminating, the area’s largest, locally-owned pest management company, while residents may see a few carpenter ants at a time, these are indicative of a colony or colonies somewhere on their property where as many as 5,000 ants may be nesting and reproducing. And that can cause serious property damage.

"Carpenter ants play an important ecological role by helping to decompose dead and fallen trees, however, they also destroy property by invading the wood in man-made structures, including the framing of a home," he explained. "It is important to find and eliminate the ant colonies to prevent damage, at the same time property owners can take steps to limit the conditions that attract and support carpenter ants."

John Zimmerman offered some background information to provide property owners with a better understanding of carpenter ants. He noted that they are large, sturdy ants ranging from ¼" to ½" in length and are predominately black, though some have dark tan or mahogany colorations. They may be present in a structure with or without visible evidence. For example, after chewing wood to make tunnels in which to live, the carpenter ant leaves behind a soft, fluffy sawdust. This sawdust, combined with bits and pieces of insects on which the ants have fed, is known as frass. Frass is carried from the nest and deposited outside and is one sign of carpenter ant damage that residents may notice. However, it is often not visible as ants may dispose of frass within a wall void or other inaccessible location.

Once established, an ant colony continually expands in size, and so does the size of its nest. Workers continually cut galleries in the wood to accommodate the enlarging colony. As a parent colony grows, secondary colonies are produced. These "satellites" may be scattered within a 300-foot radius of the parent colony. That’s why the presence of ants inside does not necessarily mean there is a nest within the structure. Those seen inside are often foraging ants that enter the structure from outside in search of food. With numerous satellites scattered about, property owners may have difficulty eradicating all of the ant colonies.

The professionals at Buffalo Exterminating recommend that home and business owners begin a prevention plan by eliminating the conditions that attract carpenter ants. Steps include trimming tree branches and shrubbery away from the house or building, cleaning up leaf litter and removing high weeds near structures, and removing any rotted wood, landscape timbers, fence posts, tree stumps, and other debris.

As for the structures themselves, owners should clear gutters and downspouts of any debris and seal off any openings around foundations and walls. Attics and crawl spaces should be vented properly to prevent moisture buildup, which creates an ideal environment for ants, and the vents should be screened.

When ants are known to be present, locating and eliminating satellite colonies within a structure usually solves the problem of current activity and stops the damage they cause. However, it is likely that multiple satellites are established and the parent colonies are well away from the structure and hard, if not impossible, to locate. This is why it is difficult to permanently solve the problem of carpenter ant infestation without professional assistance.

Property owners can find more information on carpenter ants on Buffalo Exterminating’s web site at www.buffaloexterminating.com. Residents can also speak with one of the company’s trained technicians on the telephone to learn more.

Founded in 1954, Buffalo Exterminating is the area’s most experienced, locally-owned pest management company, specializing in the elimination of and protection against pests such as ants, bees, wasps, hornets, rodents and bats. The company earned national Quality Pro certification which assures customers of the highest levels of service, trained technicians, environmental stewardship and professional behavior. With a service fleet of 25 trucks, Buffalo Exterminating made nearly 40,000 commercial and residential service calls last year throughout Western New York.

For more information, contact John Zimmerman, general manager, at (716) 662-4000.