When it comes to pest, ants are one of the most common and frustrating creatures. Not only are they small enough to crawl into your home or business, but once they set up shop, they can be notoriously difficult to remove, particularly if you don’t take action immediately.

Today we want to take a closer look at one case where ants posed a significant problem for a homeowner and what was done to both identify and remove the problem. By looking at a real-world scenario, you can better understand how and why ants can invade your property.

A Home Invaded by Carpenter Ants

One of the most prevalent and invasive species of ants you can encounter are carpenter ants. Although most of these insects are unwelcome anywhere, they can be especially devastating because they like to build their nests in wood and other damp areas, which can not only make them hard to spot at first but lead to significant long term damage if the problem isn’t addressed immediately.

In this case, a home was invaded by these ants, but from an unlikely source.

Buying secondhand furniture is a great way to both save money and to find unique, stylish pieces that you can’t buy at any big box store. However, depending on where you buy it, you may be getting more than you bargained for.

For our case study, a homeowner found and bought a piece of wooden furniture from a garage sale. The previous owner had priced it to move, and since the homeowner was looking for some cheap furniture for the patio, it seemed like a great idea.

Unfortunately, a small colony of carpenter ants had taken residence inside the furniture.

Shortly after bringing it home, the colony spread to the porch and, eventually, into the rest of the house.

Once the homeowner discovered them, the infestation was pretty severe. Unfortunately, the ants had been burrowing in spots that were not easily noticed by the residents, which led to the explosion of a full-blown colony.

Thankfully, once the culprit was established, we were able to clean up the mess and eliminate the ants before they had caused too much destruction. That being said, if they had been allowed to continue, the results could have been devastating.

The Takeaway

Although we’re not saying that you should never buy used furniture, it helps to take a moment to assess the piece before bringing it into the home. All too often, people don’t realize how easy it is for bugs and critters to hitch a ride onto the property, meaning that you can wind up with uninvited guests.

The other thing to note is that pests like to spread and populate in areas you may not notice immediately. Inspecting different parts of the home regularly can help you find such infestations before they get out of control.

Contact Hart Pest Control

Whether you’re dealing with carpenter ants or some other pest infestation, don’t wait until it’s too late. We can come out and assess the situation and provide immediate relief for you and your family. Contact us today to see how we can keep your home pest-free.