Metro Pest Control Companies Seeing Increase In Carpenter Ants

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- In the summer months, it's common to see the occasional insect creeping inside your home.

This year, one pest is turning up more and more.

Companies like Bogo Pest Control say they are seeing a significant increase in the amount of carpenter ant calls.

"Just about every home I'm going to this year has carpenter ants," said Scott Dorn of BOGO Pest Control.

According to Dorn, a stray ant inside a home may be a symptom of a much larger problem.

"There's usually never one," Dorn said.

This year, that tiny black insect is invading homes at a surprising rate.

"I'd say it's up at least 100 percent over last year.  I've been doing this 17 years and I've never seen a year with this many ant problems," Dorn said.

The reason for the increase? Water has a damaging effect on wood, and the wet spring is giving the small pest plenty of opportunity move in.

"Damaged wood is the No. 1 thing carpenter ants are attracted to," Dorn said.

Left unchecked, it can lead to massive colonies which, according to Scott, can't be treated properly with the typical pesticides found in hardware stores.

"When dealing with carpenter ants they have many nest sites," Dorn said. "They are only going to be able to deal with one nest site that's part of whole colony."

In addition to treating every nest, Scott said the key to dealing with the problem is to find the queen's nest, which can be quite the distance from the home.

"The primary nest site could be up to a whole football field away from house, so, up to 300 feet away from the house," he said.

A large colony can average up to 20,000 carpenter ants.

A single treatment can range in price. Click here to learn more about BOGO Pest Control.