Four Trees and Way Too Many Carpenter Ants

Over the last two days, R&K Tree Service helped an area home owner by taking down four trees. They were all infested with carpenter ants and were dying… and all of these trees were overhanging a house! Obviously a weakened tree poses a huge risk for a home owner—even a strong storm can be enough to pull the tree right through the roof. 

But let’s put the blame where it belongs: on the carpenter ants. Now, these ants migrate… from tree to tree and even from tree to house. Did you know that carpenter ants can do as much or even more damage as termites… especially if the colony is huge?

Carpenter ants love hard wood… like oaks and maples. Unlike termites, they don’t actually eat the wood—the ants just ‘rebuild’ their environment to suit the needs of the colony. When they’re looking for a new home, they will basically come into the base of the tree and go up, which weakens the foundation of the tree. First, carpenter ants will bore test holes all over the tree and find the weakest point. Once found, they’ll establish a colony within the tree. Caught early enough, the tree can be saved if poisoned bait is taken by a few ants back into the colony and to the queen. In this case, however, the four trees were too far gone and had to go.

If you’re seeing a lot of insects and wonder if your trees are at risk, call R&K Tree Service. We can help you spot the tell-tale signs of infestation and advise you on what to do next—from hiring a pest control company to understanding when or how your tree needs to come down.